Day 65

Tuesday
Ryan - Well it's been over 2 months now and I feel good about our progress with our goal. I feel we are still learning. The biggest challenge at this point has been trying to come up with creative activities that satisfy my appetite for entertainment. I love going to movies, eating out and just being out there socially. This is similar to serving a mission. at the beginning you're trying to see the end and it seems so far away. The first week and month seem are very long, but then you start to ease into a pattern and focusing on the task at hand. Then about two to three months into the mission, you stop looking at the end and you start making goals to accomplish before the time is up. At the end you think about how fast the time went by and you worry about getting back into the "real" world. You try to find to find balance in the spiritual life you've lived to the new life ahead that doesn't call for such extremities. I hope I can draw upon that experience and find balance in our spending on wants when this is all over and tame my appetite for entertainment.
Lizzy - I'M HOME!!

We had some pretty bumpy flights there and back. It made me sick and think I was going to die but overall had a great time. It was nice to see my dads side of he family and some friends and old neighbors. We went into Boston and Vermont and New Hampshire and New York. It was peak season so all the leaves were changing and falling. It was beautiful. I will have to upload some pictures soon. I got in late last night and the kids were asleep. I waited till Jack started crying and went right in. Its weird being away from the family for so long. I am glad to hear Ryan survived being Mr Mom. He said the kids were perfect and he kept the house spotless. I could have been offended that he may be trying to put it all in my face of house easy it is and why I EVER complain but instead I took it to mean "Why don't you just go and take yourself on another vacation. I can handle this no problem"  That is what I am sure he meant:). So I can't really go on about how I saved money on this trip because it just wasn't possible and like I we stated in the beginning I had his trip [;anned and money put aside before we started this blog so spending was allowed...and I sure enjoyed it:)!!! However I did walk through many places and couldn't get myself to buy anything extra. I just feel guilty pulling out the wallet. But  by the last day I was panicking that it was my last day to spend before coming home and locking the money away again. The GOOD news is that the money I had put aside I used and NOTHING more. That was huge. I had a budget and stuck to it.