and @ Unapologetically Grandma ☻

I have had this in my heart for years. I keep saying I'm going to do 365 devotional days or that I'm going to finally journal through the Bible and something gets me off track.

So, help me by joining me! Hold me accountable.

Plus I'd love you all to test this for me before I release it for others to purchase and do on their own.

We can do it and interact via blog posts or we can create a Facebook page or group, Zoom meeting (camera or no camera) --let me know!

So many have studies for the New Testament, I am starting with the Old Testament and working my way through it. I feel the whole of it is important.

Want to join in, send me an email (the email is in the sidebar), comment on this post, Join my Christian Bloggers GroupChristian Bloggers Group, and/or contact me on Facebook --- Let's do this.

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I get a bonus twice a year. Each time I get it, it’s gone in less than a month. I stock up on needed items in the house, catch up on all past due bills, and grab a few things for the kids and I (this time around the house I rent needed some major things, so a lot went to that).

I get paid bi-weekly and on my second pay period for July, my raise will go into effect…maybe $300 a month ($150 per pay) after taxes. This amount still does not cover the amount I am in the hole (so to speak) each month.

My rent will also be raised by $700-$800 in November. There are a few cheaper places I’ve been seeing (not by much, though) for the size of home I need. So, closer to then I need to determine if it’s worth the moving expenses and new deposits with knowing that I will not get back my security deposit (I rented from a not-so-reputable landlord but didn’t know it at the time). No one gets their deposit back and if they go month to month after the initial 1-year lease, he finds a way to kick them out, keep their deposit, and get someone else in with another hefty deposit (mine was almost $6000 and the home was in terrible condition and nothing was ever fixed as promised).

Anyway, will need to weigh out spending my whole fourth quarter bonus on a move or trying to determine how to pay another huge sum of money that I just don’t have.

In relation to that entire “short story, long” – I am planning to do a no-spend July 1 – Dec 1. I will pay bills and try to reel in my grocery spending if possible (I mean we still have to eat). The idea is to try to make everything balance out with the small $300-a-month raise. I don’t know that it’s possible with the escalating electric bill prices in the AZ heat, which more than eat up that monthly raise amount in addition to what I’ve already been paying month over month.

But I need to try.

Anyone in? Want to do this with me?

I’d like to try to do it for all of 2025, so this is my trial run (plus December is a mess).

For 2025, I know I need to reel in birthday and Christmas spending (kids and grandkids for one place where I can cut expenses).

Anyway, who’s in? Then in December, we can all collaborate on ideas to do it the whole next year.

First 3 Sundays in June menu

As mentioned, I have two of my grandkids (2 months & 5 years) 5 days a week while their mother (my daughter) works. In addition, all of us are off on Sundays, so we do a weekly family dinner.

There is only one day of the week that I am not super involved with my three younger children (all adults).

Life is super busy for all of us, but the memories of Sunday Dinners at Mom’s/Grandma’s is something I hope they remember long after I am gone.

Am I exhausted? Absolutely. But I can’t bear to leave this world without hoping to leave them with lasting memories of good times and good food.

The thoughts of how it will be when I am gone have hit hard in recent years. I’ll be 50 next month – I have more of my life behind me, rather than in front of me. None of us are perfect. But I want plenty of good memories for them.

Things were often tough when they were younger. I’m not trying to make up for anything, I just want them to know that no matter how grown they are, they are all still my babies.

Seeing my grandkids grow has been such a blessing – one that I’d like to continue doing and be able to, one day, watch their children grow (my great-grandchildren).

I love seeing the family portraits of 5 generations of women, 5 generations of men….siblings remaking pictures from their childhood as adults and with their children doing the same picture as well.

When all is said and done…I want it known that I loved my children and grandchildren fiercely, I want them to feel worthy of defending nay-sayers (you know there’s always someone who thinks they know it all) knowing they had a mom who loved them and was there for them, no matter how others may want them to vision and accept a different story. Most importantly I want them to know they were loved – unconditionally – without question.

Everyone tells you to enjoy your children while they are small. They tell you to enjoy the growing up, the phases, the dating – but no one tells you, or prepares you for them leaving.

They move out, they have their own families – in many cases, they need you less and you see them and hear from them less. I’ve been blessed to have my youngest two still be very much a part of my daily life.

We talk so much about enjoying the ride while they grow…we don’t discuss the heartbreak when we know we’ve done our job well and they move out and start the lives we prepared them to lead.

Just some Sunday Food for Thought.

I got a recent #promotion at #work.

I am very #grateful for it as I've had to switch orgs several times to get here.

I need one more level promotion to get to my goal spot - the spot where I make enough money to afford all of my bills and have a little left over.

I am divorced I am a dog mom

I have four adult children - two still spend a lot of time with me, one spends Sundays and other random days, and one lives in another state. One lives full-time with me and one splits her (and my two grandkids) time between my home and her brother's. #adultchildren

I work 50-60 hour corporate job weeks (women in leadership)

I watch two of my grandkids 5 days a week, opposite my own work schedule.

This is what almost 50 looks like. Join me on the journey! #lifesjourney

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