fall, oh how i love thee.

the leaves are changing and all is wonderful in the world.  here are a few pictures that i took today.  if only i could take good pictures.  oh well, you kinda get the point though, eh?

Fun work and other projects.ther

besides doing cakes this passed few days i also did a painting of gareth's favorite horse.  he really likes the eye on the painting, so that's why there is a random picture of the eye.  his name is dickisaw.  he's a retired dixie stampede horse that now belongs to our friend kodii.  he's pretty set out there at her ranch.  i also want to do a painting of her donkey, rowdy.  we became buds while he followed me around chewing on my elbow.  

i wish i could take good pictures.  a lot of my friends can take great pictures.  does anyone out there want to be on call for me just in case a picture taking moment arises?  or at least after each cake i do, it'd be nice to get a picture without my shadow on it.  speaking of pictures, tomorrow i am going to take some of the beautiful fall foliage.  my FAVORITE time of the year!  it just makes you want to take a deep breath and relax.  and put on a sweatshirt.  i love sweatshirt weather.  all of my sweatshirts still fit me so from the front i just look like a chunk.  a happy cozy autumn loving chunk.   

eyes wide open

it has been a successful week to say the very least.  i have been super excited to tell you all about it.  hmmm but where to begin...

i guess for starters here is what we spent our money on this week:

week 1 $58.31 plus lilli gave a dollar to the dog pound.  (donations aren't included but anyway)

oct.1- 25 cents at lilli's dance class for skittles.

oct.2- $29.28 at the grocery store for dinners for a few days.  $1.78 later that day for a 2 liter of dr. pepper

0ct.4- 50 cents for mtn. dew at work

oct.6- $1 for 2 bottles of water at the dance studio and $24.00 at the grocery store for... food.

oct.7- 50 cents for mtn. dew at work 

i bet at first glance this list might look like we are depriving ourselves from every day treats or even needs.  however, it has been quite the opposite.  let me attempt to explain why.  

something wonderful happened when we took spending money out of the equation.  all of the wonderful things that come with having a family or living life in general magically float to the front of your mind.  there is so much more room for those thoughts when the clutter of money is taken out.  i never realized how much time i spent thinking of what we were going to buy that day until we no longer had need for those thoughts.  so much of my daily activities revolved around what store or especially what restaurant we were going to.  without that to think about, my mind was open to think about what family activity we were going to do.  this week we spent more time together than ever before.  by this i mean:  really together.  enjoying each other's company.  we weren't rushing around trying to get stuff done before gareth went to work.  we were really able to be awake in the moment.  it really is a cleansing experience and i feel like i have stumbled on an ancient secret that i want to pass on to the world.  when you live from what is necessary instead of desire... holy moly.  so much time is spent buying stuff.  stuff that will make you feel better about yourself for about a sec.  whether you are buying things to fit in or stand out, to show off how much money you have or how much money you saved on something, it all goes back to being happy.  shopping is fun and can make you happy, but not as happy as creating something yourself or as a family.  or just being together in general.  i have learned to relax.  and we don't spend time wondering what is on the agenda for the day.  we have our errands and we go do them as a family then we are back at home hanging out and usually cooking.  so much of our money was spent on going out to eat and then going to the grocery store and then still going out to eat for no reason. (i do hope we get some thai thai in on  our month... just being honest) i love to cook.  esp with lilli.  we've been baking a ton!  yummy cookies and breadsticks and of course biscuits.  at first i felt like it was a bad time to for me to do this whole no spend thing because i am 8 months pregnant.  i was thinking about how i needed to eat whatever i wanted.  turns out i'm happy with 3 dozen m&m oatmeal cookies!  this is the best time for me to do this.  when the new tiny stinky arrives, she'll be welcomed by a momma that will have a handle on happiness.  

i hope this doesn't sound a little much to you all, i am just the happiest person on earth and i highly recommend that you try it.  or at least be conscience in your everyday decisions and next time you shop, shop for what you really need.   (esp since our economy is the way it is because we all have bought more than we need)  which wont be for much.  since, in more ways than one, you probably already have it!