Why blog now?

I've never really had a blog because I never felt my life was interesting enough to share. The last few years have brought a few changes and challenges to our lives here is a quick recap to help show why we are doing what we are doing!

2005 - Jacob and Shannon are married

2006 - We bought a 2/2 condo and immediately learned that Connor would be joining us that same year! After a difficult pregnancy a healthy boy arrived on his due date!

2007 - What a great year! We hired a nanny, worked our asses off and it paid off. We were making longer term plans, setting up vacations, talking to financial planners and investors.

2008 - Jacob and I decided that although we were making significant financial gains, we were missing so much of our sons life! We rebudgeted, reprioritized, and made a decision that I was going to resign my position at work to stay at home wih him. The same day I was going to pun on my resignation, Jacob lost his job. His well paying, stable, amazing health coverage, 75% of our income job. 3 weeks later we found out another difficult pregnancy was in store for me. A few months later, my doctor decided it was no longer safe for me to continue working. Now Jacob and I were on unemployment or disability payments, our income was only a small percentage of what It once was. Our emergency fund was gone.

2009 - Three weeks before I was due with my daughter. Our condo was foreclosed on. We moved into a big (2500 sqft, 4/3, loft, country kitchen, front and back yard, 2 car garage!) Jacobs parents bought the home, we pay rent, all bills, and make most repairs and improvements with our own work and money. The house will be ours one day which is great because I truly love this house and the community it's in.

Kaylee was born sunny side up, and it fits her personality perfectly!

I went back to work after a while. Jacob stayed at home with the kids. I would come back on my lunch to eat, play with the kids, and nurse Kaylee.

In late September, Jacob found a job!!! I began working a modified position from home. At Christmas I lost my job.

2010 - We are currently struggling to make it on my husbands income. Currently, our kids and Jacob are fully insured. I however, am in insurance purgatory, waiting to hear back if I can be approved by the insurance gods for individual coverage.

The only debt we carry is our car payments. We have prepaid payment for the next 12 months on our cars. After all of our bills are paid and expenses accounted for (gasoline, etc) we have a fairly limited amount left over for groceries, family outings, clothes, dining out, cleaning products, pharmacy needs, repairs, and of course unexpected expenses. The only savings we currently have is about $4000 left in my 401k, and $400 in an IRA. Thanks to a tanking stock market, this is sadly what is left!