we walked around the neighborhood, scattering milkweed seeds along the way.

i planned to write to you all yesterday evening about how i save a few bucks here & there. then, without expecting it one bit, luke swept me off my feet. he surprised me with a candlelit dinner in the comfort of our home along with my favorite ice cream, my own copy of “feeding the whole family” {!!!}, a beautiful bouquet of spring flowers & a chocolate bar.

his act of kindness warmed my heart & reminded me of the joy it is to be around him each & everyday. our evening wasn’t spent at some fancy restaurant complete with dozens of roses & sparkly gems.

it was spent sharing conversation by candlelight. it was spent giving him a little hand-knit cozy for his hot drinks. it was spent loving one another fully & finding peace in who we are & what we have together.

finding peace in where you are… i believe that is the heart of cultivating a family, making a home, building community, spending less & saving a little more. once i began to believe that my identity, my future, our marriage & our lives were not centered around what we could have, i started to see what we had in each other. i began to find myself making more responsible choices that would sustain our lives.

i found myself choosing whole foods at the grocery store to prepare with luke in our home for dinner. i began owning up to my indulgent purchases & choosing to make rather than buy what i believed i “needed.”

as i made these small choices one step at a time, our savings began to grow & our quality of life was strengthened.

so, to begin this series- i am reminded, through my husband’s small act of kindness, that finding peace is the foundation for saving. i hope you, too, will look around & find joy in what you have & begin to make small, positive change.

today has been such a good day. we woke up late to sunshine peering in through our curtains. we lazied around for a bit & then i made a trip to the antique store with a friend. i came home to find a clean house {thank you, besthusbandever!} & friends with heart-shaped cookies! we opened up the curtains & soaked up the warmth while talking & laughing together.

today was a reminder that spring is surely comin‘!
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& before i leave- i have a winner to announce! thanks to all who entered… it was great to read all of your suggestions & thoughts. lucky number 11 was randomly chosen! congratulations, katrin! she wrote, “your blog helps me refocus my day and gives me hope that my life can feel this way too.” i will be emailing you soon! xo

have a lovely valentine’s day! i will be back tomorrow with a little bit on my savings series!