Budget Feb 1-14th

This budget included the last payment for Reuben's cognitive brain development which was a relief. It also included a large credit card payment and our credit card is back to baseline...which is nice. We should have money going forward if we are careful and not idiots. 

I want to start making early payments for Becky's cognitive brain development so we don't get blindsided again. Also I need to start saving for our raw milk payment that comes up in April and Becky's piano that comes in May. We are so blessed to do so many things! God is good

We were blessed to go to Target. Becky had a gift card from her birthday and picked out this baby and some shorts and bought gummy snacks. It was a fun experience! She has named the baby Emily after some deliberation between Mia or Emily, Emily has stuck. 

Feb 1-7

This week the budget was $1,167.

• Pandora subscription $13
• Brian Phone $35
• Internet $20
• Trash pick up $32
• Tithe
• Becky new coat $14
• Credit Card Payment $600
• Walmart groceries $176
• SD card for Reuben's Switch $22

This left $205 to roll over into the next week.

Feb 8-14

This week the budget was $1,362. 

• Piano Reuben for Feb $120
• Tithe
• Credit Card Payment $600
• Azure $417
• Poshmark $39

This left $136 in our budget and I knew that wasn't enough because we had Reuben's last payment of cognitive brain development...so we pulled money out of savings. Which we did last budget and I said I wasn't going to do it this time...but we did. Next few paychecks we will pay back that money. But that is what savings are for. I pulled out $1000 to cover these expenses.

• Cog Brain Development $576
• Kroger 50
• Kinship Roasters $13
• Cava $61
• Our Fathers Farm $55
• Subset $79
• Health Nut Nutrition $49
• The Muse $43
• Homeopathic Consultation $180

This left $42 to roll into the next budget, but I just put it in our savings account when Brian was paid. What a fortnight! Happy Valentines Day! I got some candy for the kids from Azure and I'm so excited to give it to them tomorrow. 

Chronic Fatigue Is Awful

Well, we weaned Esther (it's been a little over two weeks...maybe she nursed once?) and last week I started having chronic fatigue symptoms again. It has been terrible. It's making me miserable and irritable and depressed. I'm trying to stay positive and find things to Thank God for and keep my eyes on the cross but when I can't do basic tasks in my home and making dinner takes all my focus and energy and leaves me feeling like I ran five miles carrying a load of bricks...it's so hard. I am exhausted. It's beyond exhaustion because sleep doesn't help. I get frustrated with my body and with the amount I can do...

I know God is good. He is so good! Even when I die, even 100 years from now when I am all but forgotten. He is so so so good, and I love him. And chronic fatigue is hard, and living with it right now is a struggle.

I am hoping it will go away as my hormones adjust from nursing. I think I remember last time it took two or three months and I had hot flashes and night sweats when I was weaning for a week or two... But I don't remember having chronic fatigue. 

Even more than the chronic fatigue I think something is wrong with my heart. It hurts more, and the top of it feels sore. Sometimes when I am so tired I check my O2 levels and heart rate and its 95 O2 and my heart rate is like 58. I usually have a heart rate in the 70s. So maybe I need to go back to the heart doctor? I don't know. I'm just tired. 

We had an absolute beautiful week though. Reuben got his arch expander off and is able to breathe a bit through his nose. It's not perfect but it's better. We celebrated Becky's best friend's birthday--it was lovely. The girls made rag dolls and had a tea party. It was birthday perfection. I had chronic fatigue on the way there and broke down crying twice but the kids didn't notice, thank goodness. I almost turned around but I made it. And I made it home after and took a two hour nap. I felt so useless. 

the girls with their rag dolls.

We had a lovely potluck with our church family too, a beautiful time of fellowship. God is so good. The kids had a blast and even though my chronic fatigue was there, I tried to keep it together. 

We have a busy week next week so hopefully I can get through this somehow, figure it out. I'm going to try a big mason jar of nettle tea tomorrow with some oatstraw and red raspberry leaf and other herbs. 

I don't know what I need or how to battle this, and I just want to sleep all the time but I have three kids and one is two and needs her mama. They all need their mama. I hope I can be around for them a lot longer then my body feels like it can...

nature group was freezing!

We did not get much homeschooling done this week too, between all the chronic fatigue and busyness. I had two doctor's appointments this week and we had that birthday party I mentioned and nature group. I also had to go to two different stores which we never do...it was a crazy week. I am hopeful that the next one will be more relaxed. 

The weekend is almost over and I need 12 more.

Budget Jan 17-30 2026

January 17th was my 39th birthday and January 23 was Becky's 8th birthday, so it was a month packed with birthdays and those come with a few extra expenses. 

But even with that, this budget is embarrassing. That's all I'll say. 

Week One: Jan 17th -23

This week the budget held 1,177. I knew that wasn't going to be enough. We pulled out $800 from savings to cover expenses making the budget for this week 1,977. Here is what I spent. 

• Feb payment for cognitive brain therapy $572
• My phone $25
• Yoga $85
• Tithe
• Vitamins $145
• Transfer to savings $150
• Aldi $22
• bought a movie from Youtube for kids $20
• Postmark 228 (this was all unnecessary...)
• Credit Card Payment $500

Total: $1797. This left $180 to roll over into next week.

Week Two: Jan 24-30 

This week's budget was 1,357 plus my dad sent me $100 in the mail for my birthday, making the total budget 1,457. 

• Audible $23
• Electic Bill $279
• Tithe 
• Credit Card Payment $500
• Cava $36
• Fresh Markey $23
• Mission Thrift $18
• Little Givens $28
• Waterbill $72
• Poshmark snow pants for Becky $11 (needed)
• Poshmark 108 (probably unnecessary stuff...) 
• Aldi 44
• Kroger 104
• Gas 24

That made our total $1,320 which left an amazing total of $137 in our account today while we wait for payday tomorrow, and a new budget. 

We also went out to eat for Becky's birthday but my husband used the credit card and so I don't know how much it was...I need to get with him to see those expenses. I keep not remembering the password and having to wait until he is off work and then we are too tired to talk about it. Anyway, I know we owe $1200 on our credit card still and we are trying not to use it. We need to take it out of his wallet! Putting that on my to-do list for next week...

In conclusion. I feel pretty awful about the budget these two weeks. Lots of honesty to say that, but it's true. I did a lot of postmark shopping for little items, $15 here and $20 there but it added up fast and I didn't keep track of what I was doing day to day. Most of it was stuff for the kids. I got two video games we don't have, a cup for Reuben, a travel chess set for him, and a dress for Becky to wear for her birthday, and other various things...The only thing we really needed were some snow pants for Becky as she has outgrown hers. 

I did buy myself a pair of pajamas from postmark but they were not delivered--no tracking--and I was refunded for those, we are waiting on the refund and I will add it to next week's budget. I do need pajamas but I could have waited.

Anyway, the poshmark stuff added up to $336 so I'm going to try to learn from my mistake going forward and just stay off that website unless I am looking for something specific. Paying $1000 on the credit card was ouchy and so was that cognitive brain therapy payment. We need to get the credit card payed off quickly and stop using it, and I'm so grateful we have only one more payment for cognitive brain therapy left, then we will need to save up for Becky's session, which starts in May. 

Well, I'm going to start school with the kids. Wish me luck!