Almighty Debt

Debt is not a subject people like to talk about but I believe it is very important and life giving to understand the significance of money. Statistically the U.S. consumer debt is at $11.4 trillion which includes mortgages, auto loans, credit cards and student loans. It is hard to do anything as a young person, for many college students in order to get a degree without coming out with school loans is impossible and most first time home buyers have extortionate mortgage rates.

I am weirdly passionate about being a good steward of money. My parents played a vital role in preparing me for future financial planning, we were given pocket money as kids earning it through household chores and when we turned thirteen years old we were given an allowance each month. I learned that money wasn't free and that I had to earn it which in turn gave me a good sense of work ethic. Having an allowance brought a lot more responsibility, there were more stipulations we had to tithe (give to the church) 10%, save 15%, and only then we could do whatever we wanted with the remaining 75%. My parents still paid for essentials but anything extra like going to a movie or buying a pretty dress or getting a Starbucks drink all came out of our own money. My parents were gracious taking time to teach us about the banking system and even bending the rules sometimes when we asked for an advance.

Twenty seven years later I am proud to say that I never had debt as a single woman, I never wanted to owe someone and more importantly wanted to learn to live on what I actually had earned. After my husband and I married we began the task of paying off a school loan and an auto loan which combined were under $30,000 which is very small debt considering most others in the same situation. In less than a year we have managed our money very cautiously, living by a budget that is very comfortable to our life style, save a good amount  for emergency's and pay large portions of our debt off each month. I am happy to say we have cut our debt by almost 60% in only ten months and will be completely out of debt by the end of 2015. 

Our secret, we made the decision to take Dave Ramsey's course before we got married so that we could learn how to budget but most importantly be on the same page financially. We took the time to sit down together to work out where our money would be spent, set realistic amounts and goals. I will say that I do not agree with all that Dave Ramsey teaches but he gives you a great foundation of understanding money and tools to begin individualizing your own finances. I can't emphasis enough that it is probably one of the best things we did for our marriage! Most couples say that the thing that they argue about the most is money, we purposefully did not want money to become a big issue in our marriage. Please feel encouraged to make your finances a priority in your marriages, get on the same page and I can promise it will be a game changer in your relationship.

Thank you to my parents who helped equip me financially when I entered the working world. Thank you to my husband for taking the time to make this a priority in our marriage that has made us stronger and is setting up a wonderful future for us.

Uptown Funk

This was an impromptu fashion shoot which I have actually never done one solo. I felt really awkward as I went to an abandoned house in my neighborhood carrying a long board in one hand and keys, water bottle and my iphone in the other. I made a makeshift stand using my board leaning my phone on the wheels and used the self timer, surprisingly they came out really well ha. I was jamming to Bruno Mars 'Uptown Funk' while getting dressed this morning which inspired me to debut my new hat.

 I just snagged this olive green fedora from Pacsun for $12.00 on their website after making my husband ask someone where they had gotten theirs from. I have been on the hunt for the perfect hat; not to big, not to floppy, not to tall and finally i found it!  I also adore my upward collective flannel that I won a few months back on one of their instagram giveaways. I seriously live in it, no joke I probably wear it twice a week, it goes so well with everything from a pair of comfy black leggings or dressed up with slashed jeans, boots and a fedora.

Fedora: Pacsun / Grey tank & Sunnies: Forever21 / Flannel: Upward Collective
 Black ripped jeans: Guess Jeans / Olive boots: Target

My Bestest

Let me tell you about my best friend (dododododoooo)...

An unlikely match up yet we defied the odds and became "bests".
We knew of each other, had mutual friends, went to the same church and even worked together before finally it all came to a head when we both attend a group being were forced into a small space and became inseparable.

 She knows me through and through with our love for deep conversations, coffee, Jesus, hiking, donuts, beanies and of course our handsome men. We have been friends for over seven years seeing each through great adventures and celebrations as well as the tear-filled defeats life has thrown each of us, she was my 'chief' (maid of honor) in my wedding and is a vital key in our group of dear friends. Holding strong to our weekly coffee dates we would cosy up in the leather chairs at coffee bean with our cafe au laits on a 85 degree day pretending it's cold outside to giggle over cute boyfriend/husband texts, mull over and process disappoints, vent about how awful work had been that day and dream of what our futures held.

Her wisdom goes deep and her prospective on life challenges me to see things in new ways. She has the ability to ground you in overwhelming seasons. Her faith in God is undeniable as she lives it out loud in how she carries herself daily, she is a woman of valor. Don't get me started on how drop dead gorgeous she is with her big puppy eyes, dino teeth, meaningful tattoos, independent style and passionate heart.
Shes a babe.

 Today she embarks on a new adventure as she moves to Nashville to be closer to her rad man and begin a new chapter in their story together. Although I am so sad and aware that things will never be the same, I am more overwhelmed with feelings of joy and hopefulness for her as she is doing what her heart desires and ventures into fresh unknown opportunity's. I am proud of her for stepping out of her comfort zone to go after what feels true and right. Everything in me says "this is good". 

Hold your glasses (mugs, bottles or whatever your choice) high and cheers to my wonderful best!

 I already miss you deeply but more than anything I am for you.

YOU are my bestest forever.

The Big Question

Sorry, I have been MIA for the last few weeks, as I wrote in my last blog I traveled home to Scotland for the holidays. I wanted to be present in every moment and adventure we had so I did not look or think about what was happening in the blogging world, but now I am back. 

The typical New Years excitement of fresh starts along with leaving the sweetness and the sorrows of the past year behind has been rolling around in my head the last few days. I don't personally make 'new years resolutions' but this year my husband and I made a list of goals we would like to attain by the end of the year. Some are set to challenge us physically, stretch us financially, strengthen our marriage and to build our faith. You can help keep us accountable, here a just a few of ours (some I have kept private):

- Learn to pray together & do it every day
- Be debt free
- Saved a substantial amount (we have a specific amount but I'll keep that private)
- The ever so popular: Be in better shape
- Vacation in Italy

We were both challenged this last Sunday when we visited a church (listen to it here Central) with my family and the pastor did his typical 'new years resolution' sermon. He talked about instead of making it all about ourselves and what we want out of this coming year, what would happen if we actually spent some time communing with the Father and asking him what he wants for us in this year? He opened with the whole idea of the Lords prayer and that Jesus taught the disciples to start a prayer with Father. God is often put in an unapproachable box where we often think, "Hmmm... I can't go to Him and ask for this or that," so we try to do it alone instead. But what if we actually began to break down those walls and have an intimate relationship with the Father? How different our lives would be as well as extending to our community. God is our dad, and don't we ask our dads for the things we need without hesitation, or go to him when we need advice, guidance or simple love. Why would we not want to have that with our Father?

This message really helped me realign what I truly want from this life and how important it is to seek first the kingdom of God and not be all about me. So in 2015 I want to see and do what the Father wants my husband and I
to do. We simply lost sight of what He was doing last year in the whirlwind of us getting married and what that looked like to do life together. This year we want to learn as a couple to have that intimate relationship with Him together and ask what it is that He wants for us this year. 

Happy New Year my friends.

Home sweet home

There's no place like home is truest saying that is quoted daily and all across the world.

Over the Christmas holidays my husband and I traveled back to Edinburgh to celebrate Christmas with my family, I have talked about this trip in past blogs but I wanted to share some of our adventures while we visited (this may be more like a picture book blog).

This was the first time Carl has been to Edinburgh, which allowed my extended family to meet him who couldn't make it out to our wedding. It was so fun being able to show him all the places I love,speak of often and for him to see where I grew up.

<<< Theses are our excited faces.>>>

We arrived just in time (it was planned this way) that we would be there to celebrate my nephews fourth birthday. We went to an indoor soft play center which have become so much cooler than when I was a kid, then hit up every child's favourite food establishment Maccy D's. After opening many presents we all enjoyed his tower of donuts from Crispy Creme. He was in heaven, who wouldn't be with a donut the size of your face.

My mum has had a tradition of taking each of us to 'high tea' at the Dome. We sit at this table by the window, enjoy scones with cream and jam and copious pots of coffee (I know it is supposed to be tea) every time we come home for Christmas. This year was extra special as all three of us daughters and grand-daughter were able to go together. A few tears were shed as we spent some much need girl time together discussing my sisters upcoming wedding, future grand-babes and what was coming this next year.

I became a tourist in my own city which is actually a lot of fun. We took a bus tour jumping on and off at different landmarks like Edinburgh Castle, St Giles Cathedral and Starbucks (had to stay warm and caffeinated). I love the history that is in my city and telling old stories like Greyfriars Bobby. We walked miles passing incredible frost covered buildings, dark closes, cobble stone streets and the many sounds of  the bag pipers. 

On Christmas Eve, those of us who were awake enough braved the cold and piled in to Cramond Kirk Church for the midnight service singing silly songs and beautiful old hymms. Christmas day we had a packed house with my family now being a great ten members strong plus both sets of my grandparents. We woke up to my mum thumping on the door to get up, get downstairs for breakfast, coffee and some presents. As our tradition goes my dad will always either read the biblical Christmas story or an exert on Christmas then we pray together, it's one of my favourite traditions.

Quick showers all around, cute Christmas clothes on and snowball drinks in hand we all sat cosied up in the den exchanging presents but mostly watched my nephew open his mountain of presents. After a delicious meal Carl and I had the privilege of sitting down with all my grandparents to watch our wedding video as they were unable to attend. We spent a few days between Christmas and New Year going on long walks, coffee dates, climbing up Arthurs seat and much more.

 
 New years eve is actually my dads birthday so we all spent the day together going to see Alladin at the pantomime, for those that don't know what that is: Pan-to-mime: A traditional British Christmas entertainment for children, usually based on nursery tales and featuring stock characters in costume who sing, dance, and perform skits. After the pantomime we headed home and ordered in Indian cuisine per my dads request. From there on everyone split up to go celebrate the coming in of the new year,some went to bed, some attended house parties. We went into Edinburgh to watch the castle fireworks then met up with my sister and brother in law to be at a little pub, rolling into bed around 3am. 

  As our trip came to a close we went out with one last big bang. We decided to go on a one day adventure road trip to a few distilleries (one of which is Carl's favourites Glenfiddich), see the Scottish countryside and then go to a rugby game. As we drove up north we entered a winter wonderland being caught in the middle of a snow flurry, so as most people would, we pulled over jumped out and played in it. After our visit to Glenfiddich we dashed back down just in time to meet up with some of the family to watch a local Edinburgh vs Glasgow rugby game. Freezing our butts off in the stadium explaining to Carl some of the rules, we cheered Edinburgh to victory. 

What an incredibly amazing trip this was, filled with  fun & family. I have so many more photos of other memories we made that I simply could not fit them into this already very long blog. I hope you enjoyed seeing what we got up to over the Christmas season, I don't know how we can top Christmas 2015.