Our Renovation Part 2

 The Living Room


     Sitting down this afternoon scrolling through all the before pictures of our home and I am still amazed at how much the house has changed. It has only been about 7 months since we purchased this home but I have already begun to forget some details of how it originally looked!
The cell phone pictures are less than stellar but you'll at least get an idea of what this house looked like before demo! :) :)
Like most homes that were built in the 1980's, this house was long and was composed of many small rooms. Everything was sectioned off and felt very closed in.  

This is the entry way. That brick path was quite a challenge to remove!:)

 The living room space was divided into two separate rooms and on the right side of the photo below you can see one wall of a four wall structure that contained the air conditioner and hot water heater closets within it. That structure was removed to open up the living area into one large room. We moved the air conditioning system to the attic and the hot water heater was moved into a small linen closet in the hall. We had to purchase a tall and thin hot water heater so that we could fit it in the closet. Also, this house is on a concrete slab.... When we started the demo we thought the hot water lines ran through the ceiling. Low and behold they actually ran through the floor! We had a plumber bring a concrete saw and cut a path to the linen closet so we could reroute the lines. That was not a fun day as I watched red clay being slung everywhere. :) It was a ton of effort to move those two systems but opening up our living space was worth all the extra time and effort. It changed the look and feel of the house so much!
All of the flooring in the house had to be replaced, so as the walls were being torn out we were taking up carpet as well.

 My siblings were so sweet to want to help and be a part of this project.
The video is of Mariah's first attempt at tearing down a wall. She was hesitant at first but soon became quite skilled at demoing :) The wall in the video was the one that closed off the kitchen from the living room.

And so it began...
 you can see the structure that contained the air conditioner and hot water heater below.

This is a view from the kitchen looking into the living room.

There were four beams inserted in the ceiling to support the area where the load bearing walls were removed.

The plumber digging a trench in the middle of my living room. :)

  These two babies
were amazing and so patient! We didn't have heat during most of the renovation, so they were always in layers and we kept the wood burning stove going all the time.

 After everything was removed, we began ceilings and flooring. There were popcorn ceilings throughout the house and we decided to go ahead and redo all of them before we moved our belongings in.
During this time our landlord decided they were going to move out west.
The trailer we were living in we had been doing improvements on in exchange for rent. We wanted to hurry and get out so that we could help get it ready to sell. Talk about crunch time! From about the middle of December until we moved on January 27th, we were renovating every single day after Daniel got off work until about 1 or 2 in the morning. It was truly the most exhausting season. Having two babies one of which was nursing was a huge challenge.

A few kind souls that helped kick off the flooring!

My brother Matt (pictured below) and my dad put in some serious hours helping with various projects. We couldn't have done it without them!

Painting ceilings!

Starting to look finished!

ALL done!

Until next time..

mckenzie 

Our Renovation Part 1

 I've been putting off finishing this series of posts because there is always a project that we are working on. I'm realizing that there is always going to be ANOTHER project and I want to make sure I document this season.

 Our process has moved a bit slower than some because we have done a majority of the work ourselves. We also are paying cash as we go! When we purchased this home we new that we would pay cash for every part of the renovation. The only debt we have is our home loan and we made an agreement early in our marriage that by God's grace and a lot of hard work we would never take out a loan for anything else. That commitment has been a huge blessing in our marriage!


As we slowly finish up the final details around our house I am attempting to compile all of our cell phone pictures that we have taken. 
I'm going to start with one my favorite parts of this project........the P O O L! 
When we bought the house we knew the liner was old and would need to be replaced soon. However, we were really hoping to not have to replace it this year. Two weeks after we purchased the home we stopped by to drop off some building supplies and we went out back to check on the pool. The former owner had been trying to clear up the water for us and we wanted to test it. 
The first red flag was that the water level was considerably lower.... To make a long story short, there was a big tear in the bottom of the shallow end.
We had to try and keep the hole covered over the winter so that rain water wouldn't keep seeping through. One of the pics below is of me getting ready to help Daniel attempt to temporarily seal a rip in the liner. It was a miserable cold night of slipping a sliding in that nasty pool. :) 

We contacted several pool companies to see how much a replacement liner would be. $$$$ #ouch
Pool companies only redo pools in the warmer weather because the liner stretches better when it is hot outside so, that gave us a couple of months to shop around for the best deal. 
Also, thanks to the budgeting habits we have developed from Dave Ramsey we were able to set aside enough to get the pool up and running this year! 

Of course like just about any project you do there are unexpected things that come up. :)
There was a considerable amount of sand work that had to be redone and we had to work on drainage in our courtyard to prevent future liner issues. Daniel needed assistance with that project so last Saturday and part of Sunday was spent putting together a drainage system. I felt super accomplished. :P  

We are still working on landscaping but here are the most recent pics of our pool area!

Beans And Rice Or Rice And Beans?

My husband Daniel has traveled to many different countries over the last decade doing various kinds of mission work. Of all his travels one of his favorites was visiting Nicaragua. After a confusing conversation with a waiter at a local restaurant, he finally learned that the waiter wasn't teasing when he asked, "Do you want rice and beans or beans and rice!?" Turns out, beans & rice are served mixed together and rice & beans are served separately. Not confusing at all, right? 😂

That timeless duo are two of the main foods people joke about when you bring up eating frugally. While I personally could eat them everyday there are many other $$$ saving meals that you can choose from.

There is an endless supply of bloggers and recipes out there to help inspire you with meal planning on a budget so I will only be sharing one "recipe" today.  I often hear that you can't eat healthy and still be frugal. It can be hard but it is definitely doable! 

Also, I grew up cooking and baking for a large family so I often prefer simplicity over complicated meal planning! Less time in the kitchen is a huge plus for busy mamas! 

Below are some tips that we've learned a long the way that help you stay on track with your grocery budget.....

1.) Use C A S H to grocery shop! You are more likely to put back items that are impractical if you are handing over your hard-earned cash. Set a reasonable amount for your budget and stick to it!

2.) When you prepare a meal, fix a serving and immediately pack away the extras for the next meal. You won't be tempted to over-eat and you will be getting a jumpstart on future meals. 

3.) Restaurants need to be a treat and a rare occurrence when you are working towards financial goals. Daniel and I saved eating out for special occasions and if we had to eat out we often shared meals.  Example, we love Chipotle bowls so we get one and add all of the toppings so that it makes it enough food to share! It is a healthy, delicious and frugal date night option!

4.) Use what you have in your freezer and pantry! This a first world prob but we often are guilty of buying items that we let go bad or just sit on the shelf. It may not be a Pinterest worthy spread but you will be proud as you cut down on waste and use your creativity to throw a meal together. 

5.) Cut back on the meat. You don't have to have it every day.  Yep, this is a tough one for a lot of people but it is true. Not only will it cut your budget big time but there are also a lot of health benefits to cutting back on meat. 

However, learn to cook with meat in a frugal fashion. You will be surprised how far 1 chicken breast can go...Get creative! When I cook a pound of ground beef, turkey or buffalo I always divide it and put the extras up for future meals. 

6.) Make your treats and favorite drinks at home. Not only will you have fun learning something new but you will save countless $$$$. I heard a young adult say that she had never actually made her own coffee because she liked for someone else to do it for her. That attitude is what is keeping us from getting ahead in our finances!

7.) Shop where your money goes the furthest. Aldi is my number one place to shop. Find where you can stretch your cash and learn to build your meal planning around what they sell. 

8.) Meal plan. Don't wander aimlessly through the grocery store. Make a quick list of the items you want to have on hand and only buy those items. If there are certain food items you like to stock up on, watch for sales but try to avoid impulse buying! 

Clean Out Yo Pantry Chili 

Black Beans

Pinto Beans

Lentils 

Corn 

Diced Tomatoes

Taco Seasoning 

Ground Beef (optional!) 

Tomato Sauce

Serve over rice

There are no amounts listed on purpose. You can't really mess this up! 

This is a fun meal to do if you are having company. 

Have friends bring a topping (sour cream, shredded cheese and/or tortilla chips.) You can still be social while budgeting! Simple gatherings in your home are just as much fun (if not more fun) than going out! 

A good rule of thumb with hospitality is that you are trying to bless NOT impress! 

Get creative and have fun! 

My husband and I both enjoy working in the kitchen and we have had a blast coming up with simple and cheap ways to feed our little crew. 

XOXO

-mckenzie gentry

Just $45 In His Pocket

This blog has been quiet for quite a while now and I feel the need to "blow the dust off" and write again.
Beginning a post is always the hardest part for me...wondering where to even start!

There have been so many times lately that I've been told that I need to be documenting these oh-so-crazy days. I grew up blogging and I treasure those old posts, but as a busy mom I really struggle trying to find the time (and the Q U I E T) to sit, gather my jumbled thoughts and put them down in an organized way.

 My man is in Atlanta today for a meeting so I am going to take advantage of this quiet Monday to start my next blog series.
Here goes...

A topic that I have been discussing a lot with my peers is FINANCES. Yep, I'm weird and I get really nerdy when it comes to budgeting, saving, learning to live on less and anything Dave Ramsey. It's 2018, a new year and one of my personal goals is to continue to learn to "live like no one else".

Growing up my parents really encouraged me to be wise with my money. They taught me the importance of living frugally so that I could give generously.
As a Christian I believe that we should strive extra hard in this area. Time and time again I have observed  that you cannot give generously of your time or resources to others if you are not financially free.
Of course, I understand that we live in a broken world and poverty is a part of that...however, so many people live in bondage because of poor choices and a lack of discipline.

I want to share our journey (so far) towards financial freedom in hopes that it encourages even just 1 person to start making intentional decisions to be financially free! IT IS POSSIBLE!
We are still learning so much from people who are further in this journey and we are so grateful for the ones that have stopped along the way to encourage us!

I'll never forget a phone conversation I had with Daniel before our wedding.
It was a chaotic afternoon just a couple weeks before the big day and my phone rang. Daniel said that he had something he needed to tell me. He started the conversation by asking if I wanted the good news or the bad news first. :) I told him I needed some good news...
He went on to tell me that he was debt free! I was pretty sure he didn't have a lot of debt but it was good to hear that after graduating with his bachelors from a private, Christian college ($$$$$) he did not have any debt. Daniel applied for scholarships and worked his way through college. #shamelessplugforbae
Then came the bad news... he told me that his savings consisted of about $45 in his wallet.
I sat there and tried to make words come out of my mouth.

Before I go any further, you need to know that I am a huge planner, have a type A personality and up to that point, always had a pretty good emergency fund.
When words finally did come I told him that I needed to go process that information and then I would call him back. My mind was whirling....I had turned down a full-time position when I got engaged in preparation for moving to North, GA. I did not have a job lined up there and Daniel's job didn't guarantee 40hrs a week.
Y'all, I was worried. Really worried...I mean do you even know how much I can eat!? :)

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Over the next couple of weeks I will be sharing how we as a couple manged to buy groceries in those early days, places we've lived to save on rent, side-jobs that we've done that have enabled us to make large purchases with cash in our hand, how we have avoided debt, how we began to save $1000 a month on a low-income budget, creative ways to continue to go on dates even when you are broke and lastly our home renovation project!
 I want to be transparent about the struggles and the successes all the while praying that God uses it to encourage you!


Here's an oldie from back when we was skinny and broke... :)

Please comment or message me some of the ways you are hoping to become financially free this year. I really would love to hear from you!


 -mckenzie

Dear Elizabeth

Happy 1st Birthday, baby girl!
What a wonderful year it has been. You have been a joy since day one and it is hard to remember what life was like before you were born.

I've decided to write you a letter each year for your birthday, print it out and keep it in a book for you to read when you are grown. I want you to know how much you are loved and treasured by your daddy and me.

You adore dogs, avocados, walks, swimming, and playing peek-a-boo with daddy.
You have an adventurous side (you get that from your daddy) and if I'm honest, it terrifies me sometimes . ;) You love people and you never meet a stranger.

I've been thinking a lot about your future today. As I see your little personality emerging, it gives me a glimpse of the person you will become.

Elizabeth, I hope and pray that you love and serve Jesus with everything you are. In a world that is becoming less tolerant of the true believer, I pray that you will boldly serve the Lord and seek Him with your whole heart.

I love that you are so trusting and that you genuinely love people. Right now you are sheltered from evil, cruelty and meanness...you only see good. One day when I can no longer shield you from those things, I hope that you will still choose to look for the good in people.
May you be confident in the person Jesus has made you to be and never feel the need to hurt someone else in order to feel better about yourself.
I pray you will always be kind.

I love how you wake up every morning with a smile on your face. You have been happy and content since day one! Your little smile has already blessed so many.
I pray you will grow up to love life and choose joy.

Elizabeth, you have a very determined spirit. I pray that your daddy and I are wise and guide you well these next few years. I hope we can help you channel your determination in a godly direction. May you accomplish all that Jesus created you to do and do it with excellence.

 We are and will continue to be imperfect parents but I hope you realize that from an early age. We are on this journey with you and we too are learning as we go.

Happy Birthday, sweet Lizzie girl!
I am excited about your next year of life and I'm glad I get to be with you every step of the way.

Love,
Mama