Friday Fun Stuff

I received a bonus at work this month and have been thinking about what I want to do with it. Here's what I've decided.

1. My dad. We borrowed some money from my dad to have work done on our house, so I'd like to give him something toward our balance.

2. I've been wanting to get a case for my new iPhone for a few months and finally found one I love. The only problem is that it seems to be out of stock everywhere, so I guess I'll have to be patient.

3. We need a rug in our living room to replace the one Murray chewed up when she was a puppy. I've had my eye on one from West Elm for a while now. Just need to wait for a sale because I'm Dutch and that's what we do.

4. Save some for our cruise. We're taking our honeymoon cruise in January and have our plane tickets and boarding tickets paid for with money we received from our wedding. We'd like to be able to do a few excursions while we're there too, and I know those can be pricey. I've been reading about different things we can do, and ziplining through the rainforest sounds pretty awesome. I just need to talk my chicken husband into it ;)

5. Save money for Italy. One of the biggest things I want to do before we have kids someday is to take a trip to Europe. Italy would be a great place to start and we might be able to swing a trip by early 2013 if Ted can get the time off of work. If we have time, I'd love to spend a day in London or something too. 

6. I feel like I've been blessed beyond words the past couple years. I have a roof over my head and can afford to pay all my bills with enough money left over to have a little fun. I'm married to the man I love and have never been happier. My family and friends are more than I could ever ask for. Because of all that, Ted and I want to give something to people less fortunate this year. I've been thinking about what we could do to help and found a couple places I like. 


I've thought about sponsoring a child in the past and have just never got around to it. 

World Vision and Compassion International are a couple of places I've heard of several times in the past, and this might be what we decide to do. It's about a $35.00 a month commitment, which sounds like a lot, but we routinely spend that on going out for a nice dinner. It's sad to think that amount could feed a child for a whole month.

Another place I found that has some pretty cool options is Samaritan's Purse. They have a sponsor a doctor program that helps fund doctors and dentists who volunteer a year to work in places like the middle east, Haiti or Africa. Ted knows people who have done this, or are planning to, and it's really a pretty amazing program.

 They have lots of other things you can do too, which range from something as simple as donating by credit card with the click of a button, or you can fill a shoe box with toys to be sent to children in impoverished areas. 

So, we have lots of great options out there, but we need to commit to actually doing something this year. It's so easy to get caught up in everyday life, and I need to remember there are people in the world who have so little.