Christmas Budget Out of Control? Here's Help.

Hi, girls! I wanted to turn the blog over today to my adorable sis-in-law Sarah, a super mom, extraordinary wife, amazing friend and financial expert. Since I tend to be better at spending money than budgeting it (oops), I thought I'd let her take the lead on this one : )

She also does personal budget counseling through her side business, Dollars and Sense. You can contact her at sarah.dollarsandsense@gmail.com if you're interested! 

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Hello! When Leslie asked me if I’d consider doing a guest post for her today on tips for Christmas spending, I jumped at the chance! I’m a self-proclaimed numbers nerd, and if I can share my thoughts and help someone, even better. I think so many times people get overwhelmed by the "B" word. But let me tell you, budgets can be your friend. I hope you’ll find some tips here that you can put into practice to make your holiday spending a little less stressful.

Just a little background about me so you aren’t wondering what makes me qualified to offer this kind of advice: I have a bachelor’s degree in Accounting as well as an MBA. I currently work as the supervisor of general accounting at one of our local utility companies. I really enjoy working with numbers (obviously, or why would I subject myself to being an accountant, right?!).

Here are several ways to budget and plan for Christmas spending, as well as some other ideas to hopefully help you stretch your dollar as far as possible:

• Buy for people throughout the year as you see things they might like. – I’ll admit, this is a good theory. I don’t personally do this because when I do, inevitably, I’ll find something as Christmas gets closer that I know they would pink puffy heart LOVE, or something they might really, really want and I can’t get it because I got the gift like 5 months ago. If this works for you, then by all means do it. Just don’t forget where you hide it!

• Set up a Christmas savings account. – I think this is a far more practical approach. Many financial institutions offer savings accounts specifically for funding the holidays. If this interests you, begin with your bank to see what they offer. Most of these accounts will draw some interest (though likely not much), and there are restrictions on withdrawals to prevent you from using this money whenever you feel like it. If you need a little more control over your spending, this might be a really great option for you. Determine the amount of money you want to spend on Christmas gifts, and then make monthly/semi-monthly/weekly deposits. When Christmastime arrives, you withdraw the funds for spending. If you are not well disciplined at keeping a budget or saving money, I would HIGHLY recommend this method. If you want to do this, be thinking about it now for next year!

• Incorporate your Christmas expenses into your budget all year long. – If you don’t want to open a savings account, you can incorporate your Christmas expenses into your monthly budget for the entire year. The thing about this is, you CANNOT spend the money! You HAVE to be disciplined to do this method. This is the approach we currently use, but I believe we will be using the savings account next year. Here’s how we do this: To avoid spending what we budget and not having it when Christmas comes, whatever amount we budget, I record as a transaction in the checkbook as if we’ve spent it. Then as we spend, I adjust the balance. You’ll need to be diligent about tracking if you want this option to work for you.

• Set your spending amount ahead of time - Do this by person. Then, STICK TO IT!!! You can easily spend way more than you intended. I love giving people gifts that I think they will love. I’m sometimes guilty of spending more than I planned because I think it’s worth it to see someone’s face light up at the perfect gift. That being said, doing that can get pricey.

• Put money in your account for an angel – Obviously, this isn’t a must but something I feel strongly about. I know that we have SO much and I like to spread the Christmas spirit to those who may not otherwise have a Christmas. It breaks my heart to think of a child having nothing on Christmas.

• Find ways to make extra cash – This is a GREAT way to help with the holidays. If you have a direct selling business, can pick up side jobs, or anything. One thing I’ve done this year that has helped is use Ebates. Are y’all familiar with that? You sign up, go there before you start shopping, it creates a tracking ticket, you shop as normal, and then you get a percentage of purchase back in cash! I promise it’s easy as it sounds and LEGIT! I’m about to get a $60.00 deposit just from shopping online through Ebates. You can sign up by clicking here.

• Shop around for deals – Check out various places before making a pricey purchase. You may just find what you are looking for on sale. The gift we are getting my daughter was marked down on Thanksgiving morning by $80.00! I was so excited. Also, when my husband and I went to Dallas for the weekend, I found a purse and it was love at first sight. We went ahead and purchased as a Christmas present. It’s been sitting in my closet waiting for Christmas and shortly after we got home, I got an email that it’d been marked down. Way down. So this past weekend, I took it to another location with the intent to return and buy again. They were out so I asked the manager if I could get a price adjustment and they let me! Be mindful of ways like this that you can save some serious money.

These are just some of the things that we put into use that have really helped us. I hope that maybe one of these will help you determine a good plan for your holiday spending. If you have any tips that work for you, I’d love to hear them.

And I want to say a big thank you to Leslie for allowing me to share with you today! Wishing you all a happy and blessed Christmas!

Be blessed, lovelies-

Our Thanksgiving in Photos

Considering the craziness that usually surrounds most holidays, our Thanksgiving was surprisingly, pleasantly devoid of crazy. We joined Stephen's army-sized family in Fort Smith on Thanksgiving Eve and Thanksgiving Day. And this stuff happened:

Miss Ruby Dale thoroughly enjoyed celebrating her first Thanksgiving.

Favorite new plaid shirt from Savoir-Faire; favorite man courtesy of the Good Lord

Stephen's siblings: Nick, Sarah, Stephen, Greg and Stephanie

Sarah and her precious daughter (our niece) Ava

I married into a ginormous Italian family...and this is only a few of them!

Reed and Ava, our adorable nephew and niece (Sarah's kiddos)

This makes us laugh; Ava and Reed are always ready for a photo opp. Luke (other nephew on the right) is ALWAYS getting side-tracked. Hilarious.

I had ta get a pic with my favorite four-year-old. Had ta!

Stephen and Ari, our other big fur baby. This pup was in hog heaven...literally. Ari's grandpa Jeff had just given him a pork bone.

The cutest little Playschool car driver this side of the Mississippi.We should ALL live with this much joy. 

Luke, our other sweet nephew, (Greg's kiddo). We laughed and laughed at his little protruding tummy, which came as a result of eating approximately 16 lbs. of pie and cookies. Presh, I tell you.

Friday, my parents drove up to Northwest Arkansas from Heber Springs. Mom and I tore up the Promenade (our outdoor shopping center), while Stephen, Dad and Matthew (my little brother) watched football.We had a blast, (and so did our debit cards!)


What did your Thanksgiving look like? Lots of family and food? Some Black Friday shopping, perhaps?

P.S.- I also tried a red lipstick on Thanksgiving and loved it! It's Loreal's Color Riche lipstick in Plum Explosion. Not purple-ish or plum-esque at all. It's a bold, cool-toned red, which works for fair skin tones better than a coral or orange-based red.

Be blessed, lovelies-

Single for the Holidays? This One's for You.

via

I  preface this post with the following:

Single does not translate to Desperate, Depressed or Unhappy, and by no means does this post imply that. In fact, a lot of girls LIKE being single, including myself during that time. Like, seriously loved it. I learned so much about myself; who I was, what I stood for, etc. I learned how to be independent. I bought a car. I took trips with my girlfriends. Summary: I highly recommend spending a few years enjoying yo'self sans boy. 

And if you are single during the holidays, I highly recommend kissing a complete random guy on New Year's Eve, just Because. You. Can.

Not that I ever did that...ever...but it looks fun...from what I've seen on movies and whatnot...because I would definitely not kiss random strangers....

But, for those of you out there who are at the point where you just wish you had a great guy to spend Christmas with, (boyfriend, or otherwise), I know how ya feel. During college and for years after, being single during the holidays was fun! Back then, there were no stupid questions from friends about when I would settle down or when I'd cash in my bikini for a baby bump.

I mean, who asks a 20 year old, "So why haven't you settled down yet?"

But then years passed.

Then it became less cool to be alone during Christmas.

When I was 22, I began dating someone. Three years passed, we were still together. For reasons I'll never care to know, he refused to solidify any kind of commitment with a ring or even a promise of a future together, (and BOY was that a blessing in disguise.) Holiday functions were torture. Not because I wasn't someone's wife, (there's plenty of time for that), but because he flatly refused to go to my family's home for Christmas or (Lord forbid) spend Christmas Eve away from his parent's house, like most grown people do. It became increasingly embarrassing to go to parties and face questions about when he would propose, or even better, WHY he hadn't proposed yet.

Now, let me interject here and say, in the South, if you're not married by the time you've graduated college, there must be something wrong with you. It's getting better, but still, it sucked having to deal with the questions.

This point in my life was agonizing. And embarrassing. And I knew it was time to cut the dead weight.

We parted ways in 2009 and I honestly felt as if a huge burden had been lifted from my shoulders. But then Christmas rolled around...another holiday season spent alone. Attending parties alone. Blah, blee, bloo.

Single can be SO fun....if you have friends who are also single. I (at this point, anyway), did not. Not one single friend. Lemme' tell ya, it ain't fun to be third wheel at every party and get together.

Last year was the first time really EVER that I'd spent my Christmas with a real, legit boyfriend who wanted to spend Christmas at MY house. (This boyfriend, coincidentally, became my fiance one week later.)

And it was amazing.

But this time of year still makes me hurt a little for the single girls out there who DO long for a sweet guy to kiss under the mistletoe. Trust me when I say, I have sooooo been there. It sucks to spend an entire car ride trying to come up with witty comebacks for when your Great Aunt asks, "Why don't you get married?" "Why don't you have a boyfriend?" "You know, if you want children before your eggs dry up, you need to find a man!", as one older woman asked me one time. For real.

Just know that what you're feeling is legitimate. There's nothing selfish or silly about wanting a male companion with which to spend Christmas Eve. Also, know that your Mr. Right, that amazing man that will one day go to all of your crazy family functions with you and kiss you under mistletoe, is on his way. It may be this year, it may be in a few years. Be patient. God has perfect timing.

I pray daily for the single ladies who are at that point in life where they want to settle down. It's easy to get bummed out, especially during times like the holidays, but please keep your heads up. Just remember that I met Stephen in the most random, unexpected way; likely the way it will happen for you, too : ) It was when I was happy and content with myself. God knew that if I loved myself, I could then love someone else wholly and unconditionally. You'll get there. You'll have your first Christmas as a girlfriend and a fiance and a newlywed.

But if you are solo this Christmas and need some good comebacks when peeps ask why you aren't dating or married, I've personally used all of the following below:

Pestering Friend/Family Member: "So why are you still single (insert name)?"

You: "Jesus was single. I'm just following in his footsteps."

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Pestering Family Member: "I can't figure out why you're not married yet!"

You: "Me neither! But I know why I'm not divorced yet!"

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Pestering Family Member: "Don't you want a spouse?"

You: "Yeah, someday. But I'm really still holding out for that Miss America Title."

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Now this one is a tad snarky, but just in case you need it...

Pestering Family Member: "Why haven't you settled down yet?"

You: "I'm waiting until I get to be your age."

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That's all the witty comebacks I've got, girls! Seriously though, just know that y'all are in my thoughts right now. Keep your pretty, perfectly structured chins up. God is working on someone amazing for you, just wait and see. 

Be blessed, lovelies-

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas...'Round Here

Bonjour, mademoiselles!

I believe I'll start every blog post with a little French quip going forward. Don't I sound fancy and oh-so-cultured? I'm not. In fact, the only foreign language that was offered in my teeny weenie Central Arkansas hometown was Spanish. Our teacher spent every class popping Sudafed and letting us watch educational films, like The Princess Bride and Clueless.

In other words, my Spanish speaking capabilities don't go a whole lot further than my French.

Before the yuletide splendor, a quick OOTD pic. Or pics. Some of y'all have emailed asking about how you can wear a fur vest. Welp, like so:

Vest - Francesca's last year, Jeans - Forever 21, Boots - Belle Boutique in Rogers, Pink silk shirt - Ann Taylor Loft last spring, Cocktail ring - Vintage

Well, now that we're officially off topic, let's talk about Christmas stuff! Oh me, I do LOVE some Christmas decor. I believe my tendencies to over-decorate come straight from my being very southern and very dramatic. You see, we southern ladies don't feel a room is complete unless it's decorated within an inch of its life. Ornate and slightly overdone...that's me!

I did two trees this year - one in the dining room and one in the living room. Here's Tree #1, which I did in a royal plum, gold and chocolate brown theme!

Crown as a tree topper, fit for a King and Queen : )

Our second tree, I decorated in a more traditional red and black theme. I used TONS of deco mesh in bright cherry red and topped the tree with a feather spray.

I bought this fur trimmed tree skirt at Hobby Lobby in 2009 and still love it.

The fireplace features a cranberry spray, nested inside a feather wreath. The wreath came from Home Interiors last year. It was a gift from my mom! I added the Santa belt to the spray holder.

I decorated the kitchen with a big, golden "S" initial for our last name, a gold Christmas tree cardholder and 2 candlesticks in holiday colors.



I purchased this gold frame as an accent piece for the dining room. I love how it looks against the red fleur de lis lamp!



Decorative balls from Hobby Lobby sit on the countertop in the kitchen.

I made this frame from supplies I purchased at Hobby Lobby! So inexpensive and very easy!

Next week, I'll have two tutorials up. One will be showcasing how to make animal print decoupaged Christmas ornaments, like I made for our Royal tree. The other will showcase how to make faux Christmas trees from foam cones and upholstery fabric for a unique centerpiece!

Alright chicas...(see, look at that Spanish!) I'm off to write a post for the Confessional Link-Up tomorrow! Y'all best join in! Here's the mini-banner to post at the beginning of your Confessional, if you want to use it:

P.S. - Check out my guest post for NWA Motherlode where I feature a holiday gift guide for the fabulous woman! Pass it along to your hubbies for good Christmas ideas ; ) NWA Motherlode is the hands-down BEST blog and online magazine for moms in Northwest Arkansas!
 
Be blessed, lovelies-

2010: A Look Back

I was originally planning on having one of my guest blogger posts today, but I felt compelled to go a different route instead. Don't fret, Sarah and S will be here on Monday/Tuesday with their excellent posts for you all to enjoy!

Today, I wanted to take a look back at 2010 and all of the wonderful things that encompassed it.

For me, this year has been one of finding my true self again, strengthening my relationship with God, making new friends, having amazing experiences and, for the first time in my life, learning to live in the present instead of dwelling on the past or worrying about the future.

2008 was the year where I started my first "big girl job" and learned to be an independent woman. I learned important lessons like how to renew car tags, fix leaky toilets, decorate a 6' x 12' cubicle and shop on a (gasp!) budget. I also learned the ropes of cutting coupons and how to distinguish between "I really want it" v.s. "I really need it".

2009 was a year of change. I learned that my plans don't always match God's. I learned to fly free as a single lady. I realized the value of my friendships. I realized that being happy with myself had to come before being happy in a relationship; essentially, I got reacquainted with Leslie. 



Impromptu photo shoot during my first week as a single lady in '09 : )

 
2010 was the year that, for the first time in my entire life, I let go and let God steer the ship. I learned that stressing about tomorrow, next week or next year is useless and that the present can be pretty incredible if we learn to live in it. I reconnected with old friends, grew this little blog, made new friends through said little blog, took a long-awaited road trip with Miss Dee, travelled to some cool places and...

 somewhere in the midst of all that, met a pretty amazing guy : )

A few especially memorable things:

The Celebrate Arkansas magazine article in July about A Blonde Ambition. It's nerdy, but this was so exciting for someone that started her blog on a whim and never expected for anyone other than her momma to read it.

For a couple of days, I felt like a celebrity. Then I remembered that I'm just a girl who works at an office and watches Ghost Whisperer re-runs and bakes cookies on Saturday nights and then I felt utterly un-cool again ; )

I went to California with my family and saw places like San Francisco, Napa, Cambria, San Luis Obispo and Los Angeles.

I redesigned my blog.

I got involved in a great church.

I re-newed my love of working out.

I met S.

Saw one of my favorite bands, NeedToBreathe at the Ryman.

Paid a visit to Mr. Cash and Mrs. Carter-Cash.

Went to the hollowed ground known as Sun Studios in Memphis.

Survived my first blizzard.

Started my personal styling business.

Drank more Starbucks lattes than any one girl should.

...and lots more.

Sometimes when I get anxious about what tomorrow will bring, I just take a look back at this past year and remember just how blessed I have been. I remind myself to sit back, Pumpkin Spice Latte in hand, and enjoy whatever today brings.

Here's wishing all of you girls a fabulous 2011. Above all, may you find comfort and true happiness in yourselves!

Be blessed, lovelies-

Surviving the Holidays: {NYE Haute-ness}

via the Kate Spade FB page



 Greetings on this lurvely Tuesday sweet readers...hope everyone that went back to work yesterday was able to survive Monday relatively unscathed : )

I was lucky enough to have yesterday off, but you better believe I'm back to the office this morning after having 6 days off work. Let me tell you, after having a fabtabulous extended vacay, never has working from home sounded more appealing, ha!

Anywho, despite returning to the daily grind, I'm SO pumped for NYE! The boy and I are going to a semi-fancy schmancy eatery in Fayetteville for a nice dinner, then maybe to a late showing of Little Fockers....we are wild and crazy, can you tell? : )

No matter what I do on New Year's Eve, I always like to look cute. Besides, it's the perfect excuse to wear obsene amounts of sequins and metallics. My absolute favorite dress of the season I've seen online, has to be this silvery, glitzy number from Aryn K. via Piperlime. Eh?? Thoughts??


via Piperlime


I also quite enjoy this black tiered frock from Forever 21, which is positively adorable AND affordable. It's a win-win, folks.

Sequin Tiered Dress from Forever 21 in black

...not to be outdone by the tiered dress though, this metallic sheath style dress is perfect for anyone with edgier style.

Striped Sequin Dress from Forever 21

Also love the Grecian inspired number from Tinley Road below! And can we just give the perfectly positioned little belt some cred? Presh to the max.

Tinley Road One Shoulder Dress via Piperlime

Do you have your NYE look put together yet? Will you go sparkly, short, metallic, or opt for PJ's at home? (Hey, nothing wrong with that either!)

Tomorrow we'll look at accessories and shoes that are perfecto for NYE...get pumped, y'all!

Be blessed, lovelies-