Bar-B-Q and Bluegrass: A Father's Day Outing with Fun Dollars

Yesterday and today mark the annual Train Days and Bar-B-Q Cook Off  in Williams, AZ. This historic Arizona town captures the charm of an old western movie with the history of Rte. 66. It is the Gateway to the Grand Canyon from I-41 (you know, that road that replaced Rte. 66 for a faster cross-country thoroughfare). You get bikers, pasty-white tourists, leathered cowboys and everyone in between in Williams on any given day, and the day of the great BBQ cook off is no exception.

Folks pour in to this small town to feast on some 30+ vendors' competition meat, each one vying for the title of "Best Bar-B-Q." They compete in rounds that include chicken, pulled pork, ribs and brisket. Now add to the festivities craft beers for sampling, and live bluegrass music echoing across the grounds from the grandstand, and you're now celebrating Father's Day in true Williams style. Add that to the vintage 1929 Cataract Rambler Steam Engine ride, and this is now a Father's Day celebration for the whole family!

The Steam Engine and Pullman cars are the originals that were used back in the early twentieth century. The windows in the non-air conditioned cars are even the originals! They lift up and have little latches (like on some bathroom doors) to hold the windows up so you can catch some breeze. (And since there are bound to be kids on the train for those celebrating Father's Day, I recommend not opening them up past the second notch.) The green velvet seats were reupholstered after vandals and vagrants took up residence in the cars when the train retired long ago. A massive renovation took place before getting her up and running again. Those same green velvet seats are also the really fun kind of train seat that can flip the back rest to create a limo-style seating. I_  _I  < like that.

Back at the festivities, there were also train exhibits for parents and kids alike. A Big Red Santa Fe Caboose is just one of the retired train cars that folks can tour. Across the street from the depot, a tent houses local model railroad layouts for children to enjoy. There were also a few steam-powered engines on display whizzing and popping every few seconds. All the while, the soft ramble of bluegrass music plays from across the railroad tracks. It gathers speed, and the rhythm reminds you of the train ride you just took.

This was a really wonderful way to do something new and enjoyable with the kids. Corey and I financed our entire trip with Fun Dollars. We packed a cooler with salads, sandwiches, and fruit. We expected to have some BBQ, but we wanted backup food to save on Fun Dollars. Factoring in the train tickets for myself and half of Carrick's fare (Corey and I split it) as well as the BBQ samples, I spent $30.00 Fun Dollars.

Happy Father's Day!

Train tickets and BBQ Samples- $30.00

Balance this Pay Cycle- $36.00

Happy Spending!

Keeping it Cool

Ahhh...nothing feels nicer than a cool beverage on a hot day. My go-to cool beverage is water, but sometimes I crave something unique or flavorful. I like to make fruit-infused water when that urge comes around. Orange/blueberry, cucumber/lemon, or strawberry/peach are a few of my favorites. Cutting up fresh fruit and leaving them to sit in a closed container in the fridge creates the most refreshing H2O.

I also get into iced tea creations in the summer time. I'll grab two different kids of teas from our massive tea stash and let them soak in a pitcher for a few hours. It's a way of using what we already have to create something new. They are teas that I wouldn't drink solo, or hot, like Tazo Passion (Corey buys it for himself), but when I add two bags of Passion to two bags of Bigelow Green Tea, they make an iced drink worth savoring. I'll sit on the porch and watch the kids play sippin' my summertime glass of awesomeness.

But, there are some things that I can't do at home, like make bubbles, or squeeze a coconut, that require Fun Dollars. So today after swim lessons (Carrick was feeling better) we went to Natural Grocers for some "treats". Coconut water and Pelligrino came home with me to fill the gap in my summertime beverage bar. With Pelligrino (it also works with other sparkling waters) I like to squeeze lime and lemon juice into my glass. Sometimes I like to add one of the Passion tea bags and float raspberries in a champagne glass with my bubbly water. It's a non-alcoholic alternative to champagne when trying not to dehydrate in the desert and summer heat.

I'm saving the coconut water for this weekend. We plan on taking a Father's Day weekend day trip to Williams to see the train show. I want a non-water drink for the road, so my can of coconut water will hold that spot for me. I also bought four more Luna Bars to carry around in my tote bag. One will be for the Summer Kid's Movie tomorrow. I don't want to spend $7.00 on popcorn this week. A Vanilla Almond Luna bar will serve me just fine. I will also have snacks for the road ( just for me) on our trip. The kids have peanuts, cashews, raisins and bananas from our grocery trip this week that will serve as their road trip snacks.

I did share some Fun Dollars with Carrick today. He wanted a Cliff brand fruit rope for his "treat" after swim lessons. Since he passed his level 3 swim test today, I decided we could celebrate. He also picked out one for Lily. Always thinking of little sister. He didn't even beg me for her leftovers after she tossed half her fruit rope on the seat. He handed it to me and requested that I "wrap it up". It's still sitting on my counter top in a ziploc baggy.

Snacks and drinks at Natural Grocers- $10.00

Balance this pay cycle- $66.00

Happy Spending!

Half Baked

Half Baked. Yeah, it's exactly what you think...ice cream. Good ol' Ben N' Jerry's. A soothing swirl of vanilla and chocolate ice cream punctuated with hunks of cookie dough and fudgey brownie. It's for those of us who can't decide and just want to eat something right out of the carton. As healthy as I want to be this summer, I still need a little sugar, a little sweet treat that's not fruit derived. I call it my fast-food/junk-food pacifier. I refuse to go to a drive through window now (unless we are on the road and it's beans from Taco Bell. It's the only fast-food option that has been "Corey Approved".) And while I fully understand that my body does not need junk, I firmly believe in the moderation principle to spur on success.

Also, if I have this delicious tub of heaven sitting in my freezer, I can sneak a bite here and there when I get a craving for chocolate, or ice cream, or sugar, and be done with it...in one bite. That way, I am not exposing my kids to it. You know as well as I do that I can't just go to Baskin Robbins and get myself something and not buy the kids something. Hello! But what I can do is take a bite when no one is watching. One bite.

I bought the tub in secret as well. Carrick woke up sick (again) this morning, and this time it was at 6:30 a.m.! He usually sleeps in at least an hour past that. His whining about how yucky he felt woke Lily up too. Corey ran a bath for Carrick to cool him off and calm him down, which meant that Lily was in there in a heartbeat. There's not a bath or shower in this house that goes down without her knowledge. Girlfriend loves the water. Since she also had a fever as of this morning, Corey helped her into the bathtub as well.

With the little ones occupied, I quickly ate breakfast and left to get some supplies for my day alone with two sick children; chicken soup, an orange, an onion (to put around the bed), eggs (since we were out after my breakfast), and something for me to keep sane. I walked past the protein bars, the bulk bins, the cookies, none of them gave me the feeling of parting with my Fun Dollars. Then, down the frozen foods aisle, I found the glorious sale of my favorite ice cream. Ben N' Jerry's Half Baked for $3.00.

On the way into the grocery store I saw that the Red Rock News for today contained the spread from the new Splash Pad that opened up last week. I spent the change from the $4.00 I gave the cashier to buy a copy of the paper. I also spent another $1.00 to grab a copy for my  mom.

So here I am, halfway through my day, Half Baked and happy :) Carrick is watching a movie and Lily is passed out for her second nap. Thank goodness for Fun Dollars, and some help from my friends Ben and Jerry.

Half Baked Ice Cream and two newspapers- $5.00

Balance this pay cycle- $76.00

Happy Spending!

Christmas in June

One of my New Year's Goals this year was to partially finance Christmas with my Fun Dollars. I did that somewhat this past Christmas. I used $40.00 of my Fun Dollars to buy Corey a cashmere and cotton sweater from L.L. Bean. I also bought some things for the kids at the c
hildren's consignment shop that went out of business. Everything was super discounted, so I managed to score some pretty nice deals.

After the experience of last Christmas, I was excited to repeat it. I truly enjoyed buying things for my immediate family with my Fun Dollars. As an added bonus, not using as much of our bank money to fund Christmas was an extra gift to Corey. (And as many of us know, husbands can be the hardest people to give gifts to.)

Yesterday, after Lily went down for a nap, and Carrick was happily taking quiet time, I told Corey I was going out shopping. Two of my favorite places to shop are right around the corner from our house now, Goodwill and Bell's Outlet. Even though I hosted  a clothing swap several weeks ago, my inventory of "bottoms" is surprisingly low. I have a skirt, a pair of capris, and two sets of leggings that actually fit and flatter me. (I have some things that are a little big and baggy, those are just for wearing around the house.) And after looking at my shirts, I realized that most of them are just too fancy (and too hot, they are all polyester) for wearing around town for summer activities with the kids.

So, off to Goodwill to start my afternoon of ALONE TIME SHOPPING!!!!! (I heard a store clerk say to some kids that were running around the store, "Please don't run, there are older people shopping here..." blah blah blah....and I was thankful that it wasn't my kids she was talking to.) I found three light-weight shirts that worked with what I already have, and since they were the special sale color of yellow, that meant they were only $1.00 each.

I also found the cutest little doll house/castle for Lily, which only set me back $5.00. I am so putting that in her Christmas box for later. I also found a sock monkey winter hat for Carrick and a rubber stamp (stocking stuffer). He is really into anything that can be put onto paper right now, stamps, markers, color pencils, etc. I will keep looking for more stamps and probably get him a couple ink pads to go with them before Christmas.

I also picked up the cutest pink polka-dot "table cloth" for Lily's next birthday party. Since her birthday is two weeks after Christmas, it never hurts to be proactive and buy things a few months out. It lessens the financial strain right after the holidays. In addition to the table cloth I also found a cute little pink purse for Lily. She is so into shoes and purses, I figured it would be a fun present, whether it's Christmas or birthday.

I finished off my alone time by checking out Bell's for some pants or shorts. I didn't find anything I was in love with, so I left there with a trio of pink stud earrings. I have one pair of earrings I can wear that Lily can't grab, so I thought I'd just add to that collection a bit. She also likes to take my earrings for walks around the house, so the one pair I do own, I have no idea where they are.

As the year progresses, I hope to add to my pile of Christmas items via Fun Dollars. This year, I would like to get things for my "extended" family as well. Since we will 90% likely visit Illinois during the Christmas season this year, I would love to have presents already ready. More of our Christmas budget will be spent on travel than usual, so helping out with Fun Dollars will be one way I can give back.

And speaking of giving back, make sure to check out the post "Summer Fun Dollars Challenge" if you haven't already. You might like what you read ;)

3 shirts, a castle, a purse, a stamp and a money hat at Goodwill- $16.00
trio of stud earrings at Bell's Outlet-$3.00

Balance this pay cycle-$81.00

Happy Spending!

A Healthy Home is a Happy Home

This round of Fun Dollars found me surprisingly chilled out and relaxed...after the fire was put out, that is. I felt uptight about the prospect of summer at home with both kids, but after two weeks (and a little stay-cation) I feel like Super Mom. I took control of our snack situation this week, which fueled a sense of accomplishment and peace about the house. Just having food for two children can turn into an all-day ordeal. I was determined to stick to our agreement (between Corey and me) to not resort to sugar for snacks. No gummies, fruit roll-ups, chips, chocolate or icee pops. So, what I did instead was buy coconut popsicles for Carrick to get us through that first week. Corey had no objections to Julie's Organic Coconut pops. I also indulged in a little tub of almond-based ice cream for me (Praline Almond Dream....sooo good!)

After that first week at home, I found a new sense of confidence in the kitchen. I made a smorgasbord of healthy snacks that the kids could just reach in and grab. If it wasn't in the fridge or the fruit bowl, they couldn't have it. I chopped melon, diced pears, sliced apples, peeled mango and cubed pineapple. I filled tiny, condiment-sized cups with these delicious treats, and the kids (even Lily) became independent with their snacking. Not only did this keep them from begging for sugary treats, it kept me from giving in and spending my own Fun Dollars. Granted, I bought Carrick coconut pops, but after he finished the box in the first week, I made home-made ones that he liked just as much.

I used grocery money to get a carton of coconut milk (in the regular milk section) and I blended it up with a banana and pineapple juice. Pina Colada pops were all the rage at the Sheridan house this week. Zero Fun Dollars spent on treats. I filled up an ice cube tray and covered it with cling wrap. I poked holes in the wrap and stuck Popsicle sticks into the "ice cubes". Lily could eat them too, and they really helped with her cutting a new tooth.

I also decided that while fruit and nuts are nice, I needed a little something for myself, not quite chocolate, but something  like that to stave off the urge to just buy a candy bar. Luna Bars were on sale at Natural Grocers, so I bought 4 of them. Caramel Nut Brownie and S'mores were my favorite out of the bunch. No Snickers bars for me!

Last night, was perhaps the crowning moment of snackage so far. I used a frozen banana and coconut milk as a base. Then in one cup, I added frozen mango chunks, and in the other cup I added cacao powder. Five minutes later, my NutriBullet had made "ice cream" and we had an ice cream party at the dinner table! With Lily on my lap and Carrick next to me, I felt like Super Mom again. Ice cream that had no added sugar, no cow's milk, and I could let them enjoy as much as they wanted because I was okay with what I was giving them. No guilt, no bargaining, just fun.

Corey and I also enjoyed splitting a bottle of wine and a six-pack of Angry Orchard Hard cider with our Fun Dollars.

By planning and using some creativity, I managed to have both kids at home for the summer, and not resort to fast food, junk food, treats or last-minute pizza. This pay cycle was truly Happy Spending!

Julie's Coconut pops and Almond Dream ice cream- $10.00
Angry Orchard and Nobilo Sauvingon Blanc split with Corey- $10.00
4 Luna Bars at Natural Grocers- $4.00

Balance this pay cycle- $1.00
Happy Spending!

Fun Dollars Summer Challenge!

Okay, I've been writing and documenting my Fun Dollars experience since January. Those of you who have been reading are familiar with how the Fun Dollars system works. Now that you have an idea of what I've spent my money on, what the rules are, and the challenges associated with Fun Dollars, I propose to you a challenge:

During the summer months of June, July and August, create your own Fun Dollars system. You can use the template that the Sheridans use, or you can tweak it to suit the needs of you/your family. Come up with a Fun Dollars system, then use it for the summer. At the end of the summer, the last week of August and the first week in September, submit to me (via email, which I will share closer to the time), your experience of using Fun Dollars for the summer. I will read all the submissions and pick a winner. The winner will get $50.00 of my own Fun Dollars to be awarded the second week of September.

Have fun, enjoy this financial experiment, and Happy Spending!

The $65.00 Vacation

To kick off my better budgeting, I sponsored a family getaway to Scottsdale. It's been almost 2 years since I used Fun Dollars for a get-away. (I did it the second month into our Fun Dollar implementation.) During the fire in Oak Creek Canyon last week, I watched on facebook as friend after friend packed up and left Sedona for the "fresh air" of Phoenix. (That in itself should tell you how bad the smoke was here, when people go to Phoenix for fresh air, you know it's bad.) After three days of staying in the house with the children and not letting them play outside from the "unhealthy" to "hazardous" air quality rating in Sedona, I couldn't take it anymore.

I had been in discussion with Corey about getting out of town anyway.  It would most likely be a stay-cation (when you go on a vacation within driving distance) to Phoenix, since we had just purchased plane tickets to visit family later this summer. We had decided that the earliest we could afford to go anywhere would be after our house closed escrow on the 19th. I couldn't wait that long. We were breathing polluted air and going stir crazy from being inside.

Then, something wonderful happened. While I was watching post after post go up of poolside frolicking on facebook, another friend of mine posted that she needed a massage chair for her new business. One post and a pickup later, I successfully sold our massage chair. It has literally been sitting in our garage for three years unused, not once seeing the light of day.

My friend gave me a $100.00 bill to pay for the chair. I now held in my hand the bargaining chip I needed to get us out of town. As it turned out, we were able to get a very nice hotel room with a full-sized fridge and kitchenette, two TV's a king sized bed, and a hot breakfast for $50.00 per night. It was the same hotel where all our friends were staying, so there would be kids there to play with my children as well. We stayed two nights. I literally paid with the same $100.00 that my friend used to pay me. Zero cash came out of our bank account for this excursion.

I bought snacks and lunches, Corey bought dinner at Tommy Bahama. I chipped in with my Sedona friends, who were staying there, for pizza on the second night. I also bought a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc from Safeway. We did Zero Dollar activities, while we were down in the Valley, like play in the splash pad at the Scottsdale Quarter, hang out at the pool, and watching TV (which we do not do at home). 

When we returned from our three-day, two-night get-away, the smoke had cleared out of Sedona, and the fire was 90% contained up on the rim. Oh happy day! Refreshed and renewed, we came back to clear skies and fresh air.

And that, my friends is how we went on a stay-cation and didn't touch our bank account to do it.

Happy Spending!

2 lunches, snacks, wine and pizza- $65.00

Balance this pay cycle- $25.00