a few things you've missed ...

Since I'm back from an unintentional blogging hiatus {like, the entire month of May}, here are some iPhone snaps of the last few weeks ...

{a tour of the new hospital with mom, dad, and hubby}

{the cinco de miler with friends j & b}

{mother's day with momma, aunt c and cousin i}

{a lunch with Hubby in his scrubs}

{new summer sandals}

{lennon made a trip to the groomer}

{summer arrived: denim cutoffs, espadrilles were necessary}

As much as I would love to say I'll be back to regular blogging, I make no promises.

xoxo,

PJ

six years.

Last weekend Hubby and I celebrated our sixth wedding anniversary with a dinner at Grange Hall Burger Bar. It's our little tradition to celebrate with a nice dinner. Hubby has had his eye {appetite?} set on this little place for a while, so we thought we'd give it a whirl. Pretentious spots aren't really our thing, anyway. This year we went two days early for an early dinner to avoid a long wait. We snagged an outdoor spot in some great weather.

Grange Hall Burger Bar is what happens when small-town-Americans and big-city-Urbanites have a baby. {Did that make any sense?} I adored it. It made me want to transplant myself into an episode of Friday Night Lights. Literally. From the country modern decor complete with mismatched napkins and flatware to the lunch-tray serving style, this place delivered the concept well. It literally feels like a slice of small town USA in the heart of the city.

As a farm-to-table establishment, their seasonal {fried} veggies and pies are a highlight. We shared: the fried veggies, macaroni and cheese, onion rings, burgers, and their homemade peanut butter and jelly ice cream. It was all delicious. We took home a strawberry-rhubarb pie with homemade whipped cream for the rest of the family.







When Hubby and I were first married, I often referred to him as my PFL:  "Partner for Life". After six years of marriage, I can say that this has been an honest description of our life together. Partners growing, loving each other, and enjoying this life we have. Together. As any honest married person will admit - marriage is hard work. And it's absolutely worth the effort.

Part-ner {noun}: a person who shares or is associated with another in some action or endeavor // either of two people who dance together





Cheers to us. And to small-town-Americans making babies with big-city-Urbanites.

xoxo,

PJ

Weekend Update

This past weekend:

• I ran the Race to Wrigley Fun Run 5k with dad {and ran my fastest time, yet!}


• I cheered on the Rush Softball team


• I wandered around some of my favorite downtown spots {the lions, horses, exhaust pipe sculpture, blossoming trees in grant park, and the tulips}, and had one of those "I love Chicago" days.

A lovely weekend indeed.

xo,

PJ

Financial Fitness: Debt Free!

{via Instagram}

We are consumer debt free!

After eleven months, we have completed our second major financial goal:

• Goal One: Set up Emergency Savings Fund // Completed 


• Goal Two: Payoff Consumer Debt // Completed


• Goal Three: Payoff Student Loan Debt // In Progress

We have decided to stay living with my parents, and plan to continue our financial fitness efforts. I'll be posting an update of our next financial goals and steps shortly. For now, I'm going to bask in the satisfaction of reaching a major milestone!

Yippee!!

xo,

PJ

Be Kind to Yourself

{via Pinterest}

Though living with my parents has been an incredible blessing for our financial well being, it has been difficult.

Difficult in the sense that we're married {have been for almost 6 years}, and living with my parents.

Difficult in the sense that everyone around us seems to be on the next chapter of their lives including home-owning, baby-making, second baby-making, etc.

I try to focus on the good things: the money-saving, debt-freeing, quality time moments. But who am I kidding? We are living. with. my. parents.

If I'm not careful, it easily becomes a pity party - feeling sorry for myself and my perceived regression of "normal" life stages ultimately leading down a destructive path I call the "if onlys".

Are you familiar with the "if onlys"? As in "if only (fill in the blank) my life would be so much better". {My favorite fill-in-the blanks: more money, a better job, a child, a house, a car, a different career.} If you've ever been there, you know this: It's a dark, lonely place.

The truth is that we always want the things that we don't have. Jealousy brews just beneath the surface of well-intentioned joy sharing accomplishments of even the closest friends.

I am not proud of this. I am however, realistic. Realistic about recognizing my own tendencies to compare myself to others. It takes a lot of effort to keep my jealousy in check and to live in my own accomplishments.

Not only have these past several months fostered growth in financial maturity, they have served a ginormous lesson in personal growth. I am grateful for this.

I'm learning to be kind to myself, to accept my life for what it truly is: mine.

xo,

PJ