California Dreaming

This past spring break my husband and I went back to one of my favorite places ever...California!  He had never been before, and that is where I have spent the majority of my life (still the majority, Texas hasn't won over yet!) growing up.  We spent 7 whole days exploring San Diego, Orange County, and one last day in The City of Angels. 


I just wanted to share a virtual scrapbook of the trip and share some of the awesome things we were able to do...there was not enough time in our seven days to squeeze in everything and we have come up with long lists for many more trips back!


We flew in on a Sunday so I could have a day off from school to finish packing, a day to sleep in, and just to catch my breath.  This was SO smart.  It made our travel day much easier.  We got up pretty early Sunday morning to head to DFW airport, but all in all our flight was quick and easy.  Once we landed to hop on a bus {this part was long and painful} to the Budget rental car center and wait in long lines to finally receive our car.  Now, we booked our car about 7 months ago so we definitely had a reservation.  We figured we would get a plain, four door economy car.  That is typically what a rental car is.  For $20 a day, and just something to get you from point A to point B, that's all you need.  But as we are making our way down the aisles of cars we finally stop at....

THIS!

(Sorry for the bad picture quality, we never did get a picture hugging/kissing the car goodbye)

Our super cheap rental car ended up being a 2016 brand spanking new Mustang sports car.  So far our vacation was off to a good start!

We found a gluten free approved place to grab some lunch then headed to the 405 (to the 5, wink wink--if you've never seen the Californians from SNL, YouTube it now!) to drive down to San Diego.  My hubby got to drive the 'Stang while I took in the sights I had missed SO much the past three years.  I've missed the palm trees, the water, the air.  Everything.

Once we got to San Diego, we had a relaxing night after the long day of travel.  We ventured out for dinner at In n Out (which yes, I know this is in other states now, but it just tastes better in California) and a dip in the Jacuzzi at our hotel. 

The next morning we hit the beach!  It was a bit overcast, windy, and even drizzly at certain points during the day, but still a perfect beach day in my book.  The weather made for some big waves so we went out on a pier on Pacific Beach in San Diego and watched them for a while.  The ocean is so calming.

We really need to invest in a selfie stick

We walked the entirety of Pacific Beach all the way down to Mission beach and back up stopping at the Ale House for lunch.  Such. Good. Food. by the sea.  Quite exhausted from our morning walk we went back to the hotel and relaxed for a while.  We got to meet up with one of my friends who I've known since Kindergarten!  We've been in Daisy's together, played soccer together, were pen pals when I moved away for a few years, and were in all of the same classes through the awkward middle school years.  After we had enough of a nap in the hotel, we headed to Sea Port Village to meet up with my friend and her boyfriend.  We ended up eating at Sea Port Village at this restaurant called Puesto.  If you're ever in the San Diego area, go there!  It is famous for it's tacos and it did not disappoint!

After dinner we walked around some more and headed home, exhausted.  We got up the next morning to head back to Irvine, where I grew up.  This is where we spent the majority of the trip {my favorite place}!  In Irvine we visited my old house, my hubby saw where I went to high school, we ate at one of my favorite high school restaurants {La Sirena Grill}, and went to Corona Del Mar {not the prettiest beach but the one I frequented most growing up}.  And of course, Irvine is only about a 10-15 minute drive from Disneyland so we had to stop in once or twice!  My dad got us two-day park hopper tickets through his work so we could choose any two days we wanted to go.  It was such a nice treat!





Hubbs at CDM! He braved the 50 degree water temps to body surf.  We also saw dolphins!!  I had never seen them that close to the shore before.

My beloved first job, Golden Spoon frozen yogurt was replaced by an Asian Bistro :(

My lovely home I grew up in from middle school through high school!

One of our two delicious sushi dinners :)

One of the biggest highlights of the trip for me was getting to go back to Disney.  I know Disney like the back of my hand...where to go first, the best places to eat, what lines to get in first, all the shortcuts, etc. etc.  I was even lucky enough to spend a night with my parents and two friends in the Disney Dream Suite INSIDE the park overnight and walk around the park at 2AM in our bathrobes back in high school!  To say I love Disney is an understatement.  We only snapped a few pictures while at Disney, but it was SO fun! 

Alice in Wonderland, a family favorite :)

I've never been good at Astro Blasters!  My aim is horrible.

Love this ride even though I'm still terrified when peering over the edge!

Cinderella's Castle with my Prince

We ended our trip by driving into LA (our first time hitting some true Los Angeles traffic) and checking into a fancy hotel.  We were so tired that we didn't really hit any of our LA sights to see on our list.  That's okay though, we have made plans to take a few more CA trips in our future!  We were however, randomly selected as VIP guests and presented with a red carpet in our room and free appetizers!  It was pretty funny, but made ordering room service in for the night just that much cooler.

This trip meant so much to me that I could share some of my favorite parts of California with my hubby!  I'm excited to go back soon and visit again :) Enjoy the pictures!



Keep the Dates Coming

If you are anything like my husband and I, you need quality time with the person you love.  I suppose the term "quality time" is a bit of stretch because we define it in a variety of ways. Sometimes we get our fill by merely sitting next to each other for a few hours binge watching "How I Met Your Mother", going rock climbing and over using the phrase "Good climb babe", or planning out intricate and slightly over our budget dates every once in a while.  Regardless of whatever type of quality time you like, dating, spending time together, and making the effort really helps deepen a relationship.

I've read countless articles on 50 free date ideas, 20 creative date ideas, 10 date ideas to try tonight, etc. etc., so I figured I am going to add to that list by documenting and sharing some of the date ideas my husband and I have planned since being married.  The first few weeks of marriage we let our busy lives keep us from making intentional dating time (aside from binge watching HIMYM because we always have time for that).  After a few weeks we noticed our communication was off, and we didn't feel like we were seeing each other as much (even though we are living together). We realized we had not gone on a real date since a few weeks before our wedding.  The month of our wedding was such a wonderful, busy whirlwind but like most couples, we let time get away from us and aside from dates on the honeymoon, forgot about that part!

Because our schedules are so varied and, let's face it, I'm exhausted all the time, we opted out of setting a regular date night.  Instead of setting a specific date night each week (i.e. every Tuesday is our date night), we decided that each Sunday we would pick a date night for the following week.  So from now to eternity (or however long the calendars in our phones last) we get a notification saying we need to plan a date for the following week on Sunday at 2:30pm.  

So far, this has worked well for us.  We've had a date pretty much scheduled on every day of the week this way and that leaves wiggle room for my over exhaustion, any sickness, change in schedules, etc. that may come up!

Now to document and hopefully inspire a few date ideas that you can use as well!

1.  Dave and Buster's

While on the pricy side, we had dinner and got to play a bunch of games!  Side note: we helped a crying child find his family this night.  So sad, but so sweet.  Daniel will make such a great dad one day!  A cheaper alternative is Nickelrama in Garland, TX.  All the games cost a NICKEL.  Daniel and I go all the time...we're kids at heart!  

2.  Steel City Pops

It took both Daniel and I a while to jump on the popsicle band wagon, but I'm not sure why because these were so good!  There were way too many flavors to choose from.  Just thinking about this makes me want to go back and try at least three more! Pretty sure he got passion fruit and I got watermelon.

3.  Game Night

We registered for games like Settler's of Catan, Life, Heads up, etc.  So of course we wanted to see how our life together would turn out ;) Daniel won.  

4.  Football Game!

This one was perfect since it was SMU v. UNT, where we both went to school!  SMU won, I might add.  :)

5.  Rock Climbing

One of our favorite activities together, aside from swimming.  Go to http://summitgyms.com/ to find locations and schedules!  They offer yoga classes, too!

6.  Medieval Times

This was a family date with my parents and my niece and nephew, but it counts!  We had so much fun.  Little Hannah adores her Uncle Daniel, and I love that!  Plus, who doesn't love eating with their hands?

7.  Dallas Arboretum, or just a walk in the park

I LOVE going on walks and recently got Daniel to come along with me.  We had SO much fun.  There is a walking trail near our townhouse with old workout stations along the way.  Pull up bars, parallel bars, and other weird contraptions that are supposed to help get you into shape.  At least we laughed a lot attempting to do the workouts.  

8.  Texas State Fair 

Because, it's the Texas State Fair.  

9.  White Rock Lake

Biking, walking, running trails and a place to rent paddle boards, kayaks, and canoes!  Bonus: this is where he proposed so we are making an effort to go back here more often! 

We have unofficially traded off weeks to plan a date, but usually we come up with what we will do for our date together.  A surprise every once in a while is fun, but we both like to be a part of the planning and enjoy coming up with new experiences for us to share together :)  

Making the Most of Fair Day

Friday October 9th, 2015 was Dallas ISD's Fair Day.  Yes, we got an entire day off for the Texas State Fair.  And No, we do not get Columbus Day off, a national holiday.  While I do not agree with this in the slightest, I'm glad we get any semblance of a Fall Break, and therefore I'll stick with my "I'll take what I can get" attitude for the moment.

With DISD's fair day comes free teacher tickets to the fair!  As a lover of all things thrifty, that's $30 off the fair that my husband and I did not have to spend!  It allowed us to spend a little more on the rides, food, and even a souvenir or two.

Our Fair day actually began at the Dallas Arboretum, not related to the fair at all, but I have been dying to see the Pumpkin Village {since I was a freshman in college} and since we knew it would be packed on the weekends, we figured we would stop by for an hour or so in the morning on my day off!  Teacher's get in free for the entire year, and from now October 10-16th they get 3 more people in free!  Calling all Texas teachers, go to the Arboretum in the next week with your family!  While the pumpkin village was super fun, it sent Daniel's allergies into overdrive.  We walked around for a bit, I brought some of my art supplies and we found a spot where I could sit and draw for a while, then after about 50 minutes of watching parents take endless pictures of their kids sitting on hay bales and holding pumpkins, we made a mad dash for the exit.

Texas Pride

UNT pride

SMU pride

While it was still PACKED {to my husband's standards, I have only ever been when it was busy} it was fun to see the fall flowers and decorations and walk around for a bit.  And for free!

After spending a few hours relaxing at home...in the middle of the day {I love days off!} we headed out to the fair.  Now, we usually take the DART.  We should have taken the DART.  For some reason, my husband decided we didn't need to {he even admits it was his fault} and we were stuck in Friday afternoon traffic on our way into downtown Dallas.  With about a 40 minute drive to the fair and to find parking we were finally walking into the fair, free tickets in hand!

We have been to the fair three times together.  The first time before we had even started dating.  So, while I don't have as much Texas pride as a true born and raised Texan would, the fair is special to me.  And, with its crowds, cigarette smells, and over stimulation at every turn, it does actually get more fun each year we go.  

This year, we started off buying SO many tickets, but ended up using them all.  After a mini debate on which is cheaper: the fair or Disneyland {guess which one this Californian was rooting for}, and the fair winning, we decided let's blow the rest of our date money in our budget for the month and have some real fun.  

With tickets in hand, the first ride we went on was the gigantic slide!  The walk up was daunting, but it brought back memories of those bounce house slides that were at all the best birthday parties growing up.  About halfway up the climb, there was a little girl in front of my husband who was going up alone.  She turned around and said "I don't have anyone to ride with!" My husband being, hands down, the BEST with kids didn't even miss a beat and said "It's ok! You can go down with us!"  At one point the little girl even wanted to ride down in his lap, but for some reason the ride attendants frowned upon this.  The little girl settled for going down the slide right next to him, which left me three slides over from them.  It was totally worth it seeing that little girl have fun on her slide trip and my husband being, yet again, amazing with kids!

Because let's face it, he is just a big kid trapped in an adult's body anyway! :)

After our slide adventure we made our way through the dreaded midway to the shopping tents, car tents, and were even able to see the pig races!  We unfortunately missed the parade this year but got to chow down on a turkey leg, cotton candy, caramel apples, and more cotton candy.  Our last stop of the perfect fair trip ended with a ride on the ferris wheel at night!  Daniel and I have only been on the ferris wheel together, and neither of us had been on the ferris wheel at night!  All in all, this was the best fair trip yet and the first time we actually used the DISD fair day for the fair!

Daniel's new car (We wish!)

Of course we got a picture in front of Big Tex!

Ferris Wheel!  

Dallas Skyline!  Definitely looked better in person, but we had to get a picture. 

Top 5 Registry Items!

Registering for our wedding gifts was definitely fun but actually more stressful than you would think.  At first, I thought I had all of the kitchen things I would need.  I had been living in an apartment by myself for 2, going on 3 years before being married and had accumulated plenty of things.  But...you can always have more.  As for decorations and other things to fill our home, it was difficult to find things that matched both mine and my husband's personality {at first} until we got the hang of it.  We were blessed to get so many wonderful things and we have used nearly everything we have received so far!  I definitely have my top favorites that I feel get used every day.  Of course, you may find your own favorites, but if you feel stuck and can't decide what you think you would need, this may be helpful.

1.  NutriBullet: slightly unconventional, but for quick breakfasts for my husband going off to school in the morning and my early work days, I use this every day, without fail.  Even on weekends.  It doesn't get boring either because we can change up the type of smoothie daily.

2.  Electric Tea Pot: this makes cooking faster {for pasta, etc.} and for drinking tea.  Favorite tea lately is Spiced Chai {decaffeinated} and Vanilla Honey Chamomile.

3.  Pyrex Bake and Take: the lids snap on and you can store whatever you made right in the fridge.  Saves time and dishes.  I've made casseroles, enchiladas, zucchini and squash, potatoes, and more in these.

Our Electric Tea Pot turns blue when it is "on" and automatically turns off!

4.  Bocci Ball Set: so I may have lied.  We definitely do not use these every day.  But, we wanted to register for something fun.  And whenever we hang out with friends {or at least this summer when we went to a nearby park on our Sunday Funday's} we would bring this set!  So much fun and we will definitely be using this for years to come!  It came in a carrying case so it's easy to travel with and we can take it camping, over to a backyard party, park, etc.  We also registered for croquet and corn hole and are equally as excited to play!

5.  Electric Skillet: also used multiple times a week, this makes cooking bacon and pancakes SO easy.  I never used one growing up, but my husband swears by it.  He also claims we can easily take this on camping trips when we go {hopefully at the end of October}!  

Happy Shopping!

The Dreaded Budget

Budgeting can be overwhelming.  It oftentimes gets pushed to the side because people don't know where to start.  That's at least how I felt for the past couple of years.  It never seemed to be a big deal because I could keep my spending in check and I didn't have any major debt.  However, I wasn't saving as much as I would like and I knew I was spending too much every now and then unnecessarily.  Before my husband and I got married, I was potentially going to switch jobs which would actually mean a pay DECREASE and he was hoping to get into graduate school (which he did!) and potentially work a little less (although he's a rock star and his income won't take too much of a hit).  Anyway, with all of the anxiety and stress over the wedding and merging our accounts and potentially having less money than I had been used to, we finally decided to sit down and figure out some numbers.  Even shooting WAY low, we found that having a structured budget, we would be able to freely spend and have plenty to save each month.  I ended up not getting the job (which, is definitely a blessing..I am so excited to be where I am now) and we have even more of a cushion with which to work.  Without using our hard numbers (since everyone's budget will be different), here is our general outline.  You can use this template and shift your numbers in each category as you need.  Of course, we are extremely blessed to not have any debt such as car payments, student loans, medical bills, as of now.  All this really helps us do is save more right now, though.  You can definitely finagle the numbers to where you are tackling the debt and putting some savings away.

First, when we merged bank accounts we have one checking account, and three savings accounts.  We have a general savings account, a "big purchases" savings account for when my husband's car eventually kicks it, and an "emergency" savings account.

Next, we thought of our essentials for category 1.
1.
Rent (Check)
Internet (Credit Card)
Phone (Credit Card)
Health Insurance (Credit Card)
Tithe (Cash)

Continuing our essentials in category 2.
2.
Food (Cash)
Gas (Credit Card)
Doctor Visits (Credit Card)
Prescriptions/Medications (Credit Card)

Cagetory 3 is less essential, but things we would like to keep around such as...
3.
Netflix (Credit Card)
Summit Gym Membership (Credit Card)
Spending Money (Cash)
Clothing Money (Cash)
Dates (Cash)

And finally category 4 consists of our savings accounts
4.
General savings
Big Purchases
Emergency

Essentials for planning and where we keep our cash!

We decided that the cash system works best for us, but for "bigger ticket" items, we still wanted to get the added benefits of using a credit card (rewards, earning credit, etc).  We always pay off our credit card completely each month and keep track of purchases.  However, having cash for every day items such as groceries, spending money, clothes, dates, and tithing we can make sure our spending stays in check and we don't over spend.  We are just in the first month of following this budget, so our numbers will probably change; we may not need as much money for dates, but we may want a little extra spending money.  We may need a little bit more in groceries but not as much for clothes.  The point is, this is extremely beneficial and eliminates the stress of having to guess how much we will be spending and saving each month.  We have already decided that we will just save less during December as we will set a "gift" budget for family members.  Also, for our respective birthday months we will use our date money to go towards the birthday gift/date and anything extra can come out of our spending money.  You can tweak whatever works for you, but so far we love this!  Happy Budgeting!

*Disclaimer: since starting this budget we have been fairly flexible with grocery and date money.  Whenever a fun date idea comes up we weigh pros and cons and usually take the extra time for ourselves.  Of course, we try and be as thrifty as possible!  In a month or so we are going to re-evaluate and most likely shift some numbers around.  A budget doesn't have to be set in stone forever!