Ritz Carlton = Frugal

Ritz Carlton = Frugal

How is it you ask?

I often blog about ways to save money and how to be frugal. So I am sure you all think I am a big fat liar when I say that I stayed at the Ritz Carlton and it was frugal.

WELL... let me give you a little peak how.

OK it would have been so easy to just put it all on the Discover Card! But that sure wouldn't be frugal.

However, I do have a Discover Card and just like this Pink one- isn't it so cool and girlie?

Well we put almost everything we can on the Discover Card every month and I pay it online through my online bill pay every couple of days. That way we pay no interest but we get lots of points!

I used my last 2 months of Discover Card points to pay for a little mini-vaca with Haley at the Ritz Carlton. Just a cool way to be frugal but get some really awesome treats while building memories!

The last 2 years the boys have gone on what seems their annual hunting trip to Texas ( I will spare you the dead hog pictures).

So this year I decided Haley and I would take a little vaca. I got a one night stay family package for $199/night (remember I used my Discover points to pay for it). Haley got to eat free and a friend AND I had a $50 resort credit to use towards my food.

Somehow we ended up with a Casita and we weren't even in the main hotel lodge - guess it was our lucky day?

This had the deepest bathtub I have ever seen!

One door shower and one door toilet  - it was crazy!

The shower was crazy awesome!

Notice that really cool TV that you can watch while taking a bath?

Love this mirror!

Oh yeah baby- the whole reason I picked this resort - the WATERSLIDE! And yes I went down it too!

Doesn't take much to impress this simple country girl!

View from lunch

Again doesn't take much to impress us!

Oh yeah baby! Oh wait that's right I had 2 kids with me- Coke it was! But pretty impressive huh?

Infinity pool at sunset

I loved the fire bowls! They were everywhere and it was just gorgeous!

Oh I forgot to mention we had a visitor on our porch! It was SO GROSS!

The Infinity pool was lit up gorgeous at night.

So remember when trying to think of some great vacation ideas - think outside the box, have a stay-cation - check out the local deals that include meals, use your credit card points! Make the most and be frugal and Make some Memories!



Hair Choices - I need help- VOTE!

I Need a Change! Over the years I have done many things with my hair but lately I seem to be stuck in a rut - I need help! 

Here is some of my styles over the years (I have had a shoulder length cut before but can't find any pics - sorry) but I am preferential to LONG hair.

Most like my hair now.

About 2 years ago

Couple of years ago (before my Lasiks)

About 2 years ago

March 2010

Almost black

OK - I normally don't dress like this but this was for our Halloween party in Fall of 2009.

OK - below are some of the choices of hairstyles and colors I would possibly consider. It makes me nervous more about cutting than coloring.

Choice #1 - I like the color and the cut

Choice #2

Choice #3

Choice #4

I want to hear from you! Please let me know by number which cut and which color you like - or you think I might look good with. I know it would totally help if I actually looked like them to pull the hair off but can't do anything about that so oh well!

I can't wait to hear your vote - I need a change!

Haven't tried Shaklee yet? Check it out! They are not just about cleaning. But they also have products for Healthy Beauty, Healthy Nutrition, and Healthy Weight Management.

Successful Marriage - Happy Anniversary!



Allan and Teresa

Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad!

This April 12^th they are celebrating their 36^th Wedding Anniversary!

Congratulations Mom and Dad!

We all Love you!

My wedding not theirs lol!

Panama City Beach, Florida

Panama City Beach, Florida

Kingsport, TN

Sedona, AZ

Johnson City , TN

Car? Truck? Spoiled? I need help!

So I am a super lucky woman! I know that I am lucky, fortunate, and very blessed with all the things I have in my life and I am SO the luckiest to have my kids and my man! 

However, sometimes a girl needs wants to have a little something new! My husband and I have been debating getting a new vehicle. Now, we are really striving to keep our financial house in order. We feel like we do pretty good (I won't go all into that now maybe another blog later). But we made one decision that wasn't in our nature but we were stuck in a hard place. So currently I have a 2008 Red Jetta -

OK so this isn't my actual car but looks just like it - you get the picture!

My Jetta is paid down to where we are barely upside down on the loan (remember I said that we got into a spot before that we normally don't - so we are upside down). However, I have been making extra payments whenever I can to try to get it at least even with the market. So my car is 3 years old and I have 75,000 miles! Yes, high miles but up until 6 months ago I was driving 60 miles round trip just to work!

My husband has a 2004 Ford F150

Again - not our exact truck but pretty darn close!

(again - I know we are so lucky to have 2 super nice vehicles - so don't be going and judging me because I want something new lol! - well judge away I guess but still doesn't change I want something new!)

Now his truck is paid off but has about 108,000 miles on it. We have always said we don't want more than 1 car payment and we are actually trying to get to a point where we will not have any payment for a few years since we will have teenagers coming up in the next few years.

He has mentioned a few times about getting me a new vehicle (did I mention from time to time my AC doesn't want to kick in for about 10 minutes and remember I live in Southern AZ - can you say 110degrees in the summer?) So here poses my BIG dilemma!

Do I want to try to get a new vehicle and pay the heck out of it and get it paid off so we can then buy him a new truck? OR do I just try to pay my car off and get him a new truck?

Here are the 2 vehicles I am totally in love with! Now they are VERY different but as a mom I am sure some of you will be able to totally understand my line of thinking!

This is the 2011 Black KIA Sorento! This SUV has a third row option so you can sit 7 people! That is what I am in LOVE with about this vehicle! I think it is a sweet looking mid size SUV and sort of looks like a cross between the Lexus and Infinity SUV but not near the price. I have seen MSRP on the one with the third row for between 25K and up! I am not a girl that needs all the bells and whistles necessarily. But if I am going to get this vehicle I want the third row seating.

Here's a good pic but not in black but you get the idea!

The second vehicle that I LOVE was actually introduced to me by my man! So he is totally at fault for me wanting a new vehicle (well at least partially) I had never seen the Volkswagen CC before he pulled it up on the internet and showed me. This is totally opposite than the KIA Sorento!

Ever seen this car?

Something about the interior just sucks me in!

Depending on the features you want to get with this vehicle the 2011 Volkswagen CC Sport gets started at around 30K maybe could get a little cheaper if I went with the 2010 model, which I do like but the 2009 looks a little different.

So what's a girl to do? I want to hear what you would do? What do you think I should do? FYI - My husband LOVES the CC but he isn't a fan of the Sorento. I love both for different reasons. OR do I just pay the Jetta off and try to drive it till the wheels fall off and get my man a new truck?