Budget Friendly Date Ideas – Free Printable!
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Why ‘Spring Cleaning’
Even though it might seem cliche, there is just something about a good deep cleaning in the spring. Getting old clothes out of the closet, cleaning the oven, scrubbing the garage floor. You know, all the fun stuff that nobody wants to do! But for some reason, there’s a satisfaction that comes out of it that just fires us up here at the Osegard house.
Why Spring?
Honestly, I couldn’t give you a great reason. You could really do this any time of year, as far as we’re concerned. Thanks to Marie Kondo, it would seem this year everyone is doing Winter Cleaning. Spring just seems to work well in our house, partly just because it’s easy to remember! For us northerners with our short days and wimpy sunlight, the spring seems to bring a new life to more than just nature. We start to venture out more, and time at home feels a bit less sad and a bit more productive. So why not harness the extra Vitamin-D-induced energy and get some work done?
Many of our spring cleaning tasks also have to be done at least one other time during the year. The difference is that with everything ramping up in the fall, it may not happen all at once like it often does in the spring.
What do we clean?
This is completely up to you of course, but some of our “big ticket” items are:
- Clean the oven.
- Deep-clean the fridge and freezer. Like, REALLY clean. Everything out, toss the old, scrub the shelves, and organize it on the way back in!)
- Clothing and closets. Try on things you haven’t worn to decide if they’re worth keeping or not. Pare down and organize all closets too, not just the ones with clothes!
- Garage. Cleaning out extra junk, and sweeping and scrubbing out all the grime from the winter makes it feel shiny and new each year!
We also like to deep clean the normal things as well, like the kitchen and bathrooms. These get cleaned much more frequently than once a year, don’t you worry. But this is still a great chance to really get into the cracks and crevices, take out the heavy-duty cleaners, and get them all super shiny! In the kitchen, we might soak and scrub drip pans (we have a glasstop now though). In the bathroom, this could mean pulling out the cabinet drawers and scrubbing them clean. These will be different for everyone, but take it as an opportunity to find the things you don’t typically clean, and clean those!
Make spring cleaning fun!
Spring cleaning definitely sounds like a chore, but we do our best to make it more than that. It’s a perfect time to jam out to some good music, goof off a bit with your spouse, and spend time together! It might not seem like a fun date, but spending hours together getting stuff done can we very enjoyable. We also like to plan purposeful relaxing time afterwards as well. Work all day, grab a pizza in the late afternoon, and spend the evening cuddling in the beanbag and watching a good movie in our CLEAN house. Now that sounds a bit more fun!
Are you a spring cleaner? What did we miss on our list, and how do you like to tackle your spring cleaning? We’d love to hear from you!
2019 Financial Peace University (FPU) Preview
It’s that time of year again- the Osegards will be back coordinating Financial Peace University (FPU) at Eagle Brook again this year! As we reflect on last year, we are SO excited to see what God has in store for everyone who will walk through those doors. But what’s the big deal about FPU at our church anyways? Well, let me tell you!
Why Financial Peace?
There are SO many different ways to handle money, and countless people that are willing to teach you any and everything they can about their way to do finances. What makes FPU different from most of the others out there is that the principles are based in the Bible, and rooted in good old-fashioned common sense. Dare I say that almost everything you will learn in the course is stuff you probably already know or have heard at some point? What Dave and his team do so well is connect the dots for us, and show us how to implement this in everyday life. It’s not a quick fix as much as it’s a new way of thinking of and dealing with money.
Why Eagle Brook Church?
This year, Eagle Brook made a big, hairy, audacious goal of seeing 10,000 people go through FPU. That’s an INSANE number, but here’s how that breaks down. Each of the seven campuses has a number of different sessions being held on-site each week. Woodbury, for example will have sessions on Sundays, Mondays, and Tuesdays in the evening, and Monday morning. That means that for 9 weeks straight, we will have hundreds of people at the church, going through the same biblically-based curriculum at the same time. Talk about great accountability!
How does that work?
It is truly remarkable how many pieces and people come together to make something like this possible. From planning and marketing, to setup and teardown, there are so many people working behind the scenes. They all work to ensure that FPU runs smoothly for everyone. Plus, roughly 100 volunteers will be taking their time once a week to lead small group discussion. And that’s just at our campus!
As we are finishing up the planning and prep, we are both anxious and excited for the class to be here. It’s always a bit of a whirlwind honestly, especially on the first night. Alyssa will be helping coordinate getting people into small groups, helping people register, and lots more of those Type-A tasks. Seriously, the spreadsheet magic that she uses to organize and track everything for these sessions is the thing legends are born from. I’ll be helping wrangle our volunteers and make sure they have what they need, help with check in stations, directing people and answering questions, and lots more extroverty-type things like that.
On your marks…
While it’s a huge undertaking for sure, it’s something that we genuinely LOVE to do. We are so passionate about the impact that this program has for people when they truly commit. We’ve seen such a change in our finances, relationships, and lives since we went through the course 4 years ago. Not only that, but the FPU course was just revamped. The new content is INCREDIBLE. The chance to share that with even more people this year is so amazing, and we can’t wait!
Money-Saving Tips for your Move
Is there anyone out there who enjoys the process of moving? I love a new place, a fresh start, bla bla bla, but the actual moving? Not the best part for sure. Plus, it can become very expensive very quickly! Cody and I have done our fair share of moving ourselves, and we like to help out friends as well whenever possible. Here are a few things we’ve learned along the way to help make a move more affordable!
First, the Purge
Before you pack everything you own into boxes, take a good hard look. Dig through the things you maybe haven’t even opened from the last move. If you haven’t needed it until now, and it’s not sentimental, it’s probably not going to get used at the new place either. Now is a great time to make sure you aren’t bringing a bunch of unnecessary or duplicate things into a new space! Take the time to actually go through your things and pare down before you haul it to a new space. You won’t want to do it as you unpack, so the sooner the better!
Recruit friends
I know, nobody wants to help their friends move… But actually, we’ve found that people are much more willing to help than you would expect! The key here is to be prepared and let them know exactly when and where you are asking for help. If you need help boxing up the kitchen, ask a friend to just sit and chat with you as you pack! It’s a great time to catch up and talk, or throw on a few episodes of Friends and just pack for an hour or two!
When it comes to the day of the move, again the trick here is to be prepared. Have things boxed up, wrapped, lined up etc. before anyone shows up. If you have things that should get packed first (think, furniture or other bulky or heavy items), get them as close to the door as you can! When people arrive, they can simply start at the door and work their way through the place carrying boxes as they go. This takes all of the extra time waiting for direction out, and speeds up the process for everyone!
Find Free Boxes
Cody and I haven’t paid for boxes for any of our moves, and we intend to keep it that way! Check Craigslist or neighborhood apps or groups for used moving boxes. People will literally give them away, and all you need then is tape! Pro tip: get the good stuff, not an off-brand or discount tape. A good strip of quality tape holds up much better than 3 runs of sub-par packing tape.
Another great spot for free boxes: the liquor store. Walk into the store and ask if they have boxes, don’t just look out back by the dumpsters. Almost all stores have piles of these in the back room that they LOVE to get rid of. And liquor boxes are no joke! They’re built to hold heavy weight, fragile items, and stack in tall piles. That’s exactly what you need for moving! Especially a few good wine boxes (with the cardboard dividers). Those are perfect for all those glasses in the kitchen, bowls, utensils, jars of olive oil, etc. Super versatile, and free!
Overlap Dates
If you aren’t moving far, try overlapping your dates a bit (2 or 3 days has been great for us). Take a day to clean and prep the new space, taking a couple loads of things in your cars each time you head over. Borrow a truck or SUV if you don’t have one for a few trips of the larger things, and take the rest as you can throughout the days! If you load the car up the night before, then unload it on the way to work, you can head right back after, unpack, and still have time for a few more trips before bed!
Limit the Rentals
If you have a larger home or big furniture items, there’s a good chance you’ll need to rent something. Be as strategic as you can in this area, and remember that you have other vehicles you can fill too. If you have your own cars, vehicles of people helping you, AND a rental truck, you might not need a huge trailer. Think about the largest items you have and work your way down. Be sure to pack those items first, them fill the space with smaller and smaller items. If you plan this well, you likely can get away with only renting a truck or trailer for a single day, which cuts costs!
What are your tips for a cost-effective move? What things are worth the money or not for you? Let us know!
40 minutes a day to a stronger life!
If you saw our recent vlog, you know that for the first time probably EVER, I didn’t set a specific New Years Resolution. Instead, I have a word that I hope will guide me this year as I pursue becoming the version of me I hope to be in the future.
FAITHFUL.
For me this means a lot of things – full of faith, pursuing what I believe and making my faith a priority. I also want to be faithful to who I am by learning when to say yes and when to say no. Finally, I want to be faithful in forming the person I want to become by constantly showing up in the small rhythms and routines in life that will build me into the person I want to be.
One way this has manifested this year is that I’ve been trying to get up EARLY. I spend this time preparing myself for the day. Sometimes it means freeing up my mind by tackling a few things on my to do list, sometimes it means reading a good book or doing devotions. A few times a week, I follow this time with a workout with Cody.
But who likes mornings?
I can’t say I enjoy the process of waking up early, or working out for that matter. I love the time once I am actually OUT of bed, but when the alarm goes off, I think to myself “why don’t I just stay in bed a little longer. Reading isn’t going to change anything”.
My brain is right. On any given day, it won’t make a huge difference if I work out or read, or if I sleep longer instead. But, reading almost daily for a year, or five years or twenty years, will certainly shape who I become. Working out multiple times a week will build discipline and create a stronger, more capable body for years to come.
Still, people call me out on my structured mornings. “Why would you do that? Is it really worth it? Does God even care if you’re structuring your days?”
Honestly, I believe God DOES care about how we spend our time (note, I am NOT saying God wants you to always wake up early). I couldn’t articulate why, but a sweet friend of mine said something the other day that has stuck with me. “We serve a God of order, not a God of chaos. We are not built to live in chaos.”
When I sleep in, my world feels more chaotic. If I don’t have a slow morning to prepare my heart and mind for the day, my soul feels chaotic. What works for me is my time in the morning.
INTENTIONAL
Cody’s word this year is intentional. He wants to be more intentional with how he spends his time. and working out is a part of that. The more intentional with his time he is, the stronger his relationships, work ethic, and more!
But back to that morning thing. . .
We often motivate each other in the mornings, but some mornings it is so easy to be a bad influence on each other. Do you experience that? Someone who loves you so much that they want you to be happy even if it means sleeping in when you shouldn’t? That’s where you come in! We would love for you to join us on this journey.
What all is entailed?
Four workouts a week (that you can do from home)
30-45 minutes a piece (Can I get an AMEN?)
8 weeks (that’s only about two months!)
Our community, encouragement, and leadership!
Let’s see how trying this out for 8 weeks of our life can make us stronger, physically and mentally. If you’d like more info, please fill out this form: https://goo.gl/forms/8PkO5hmw2Cs09lQ32
Feeding the Hungry for St. Patrick’s Day – One Beer at a Time
Like many people, St Patrick’s Day makes me think of beer and leprechauns. However, the beer that comes to mind the past couple of years isn’t green, but has a unique story and mission. And for those of you who have been around here a while, you know that helping others is a real motivator for Alyssa and me!
How I learned about Finnegan’s
A few years back, I was working out of a shared office space in Lowertown, St Paul. A group of us headed up the block on St Patrick’s Day to take in the parade, which is a huge deal in St Paul. As the parade was going by, there was also a truck parked on the street that was attracting a lot of attention. It was the Finnegan’s reverse food truck!
Instead of serving food, this truck was accepting donations of non-perishables, or monetary donations that would go to a local food shelf in order to purchase local, fresh produce. And to top it all off, the company that was out accepting donations was a brewing company! What?!? One of the guys I was with had actually purchased a bunch of their beer for back at the office that afternoon as well, too! I wouldn’t call myself an expert on beer, but I am a bit picky and won’t really drink a beer that isn’t really good. Finnegan’s did NOT disappoint!
It’s just beer, right?
Wrong! I’ve been so intrigued and surprised by Finnegan’s that I’ve had to keep up with them as they’ve grown over the past few years. When I first learned about them, they pretty much brewed one beer. They brewed in a space provided by a different company, which cut their costs. All the proceeds from the beer sales went to help local food shelves. Pretty neat!
They’ve since expanded in a huge way! Finnegan’s Brew Co. has their own space, a whole host of beers on tap and in stores around the metro, and events all the time. They are working hard to connect good people with good beer, and giving the proceeds to those who need it right here in our communities!
Basically, Finnegan’s donates 100% of its profits to local charities. We buy beer, they give all the profits back to local charities. Does it get any better than that? If you’re interested in the details like I am, check it out for yourself!
Whether you’re in the twin cities or not, I would encourage you to think of St Paddy’s day in a new way. Find a way to give back in your community, and help those who need it most.
You left teaching, so what do you DO?
Ever since I left my teaching job, I get lots of incredulous “So, what do you DO now?” questions. The short answer is that I work as a virtual assistant for a top fitness coach. For some people, that’s enough, but for others this still seems made up. So, I thought I would walk you through what has sort of been my typical day (though, I may mix it up this year).
My Morning
6:00 Workout
6:45 Drink water and begin my virtual assistant work. I start with daily tasks like checking orders that came in and creating my to do list for the day.
8:00 Break to shower and make breakfast
8:30 Back at it! This is when I start any bigger projects for the day. Sometimes, I’m following up with people who have asked for more information about a bootcamp. Other times I’m creating graphics to recognize the hard work people on the team have put in!
10:00 Meet with my boss. She lives in Florida, so we meet on Zoom (which is basically skype).
10:15 Break! I’ve worked for about 3 hours at this point, so I take a break to focus on something else. This might be my devotion time, time to update the blog, or a chance to get some household chores done. I usually grab lunch before diving back into work as well.
11:30 By this point, I am usually back at it! During my meeting, I will usually get assigned another project such as ordering prizes for people who accomplished some awesome goals, or proofreading and scheduling content to be shared in team pages or bootcamps.
My afternoon
I usually alternate working for 45 minutes, followed by a 15 minute break. During these little breaks, I make a point to get up and stretch. I also read, catch up on my own personal emails, or whatever else! During my work times, I make sure everything is caught up including emails and messages and usually check in with my boss at least once to see if there is anything else she needs my help with for the day.
2:30-3:30 I have worked my 5-6 hours for the day, and I wrap up!
My time after work is spent finishing housework, reading, writing, catching up on my favorite shows, and maybe even taking a nap! Sometimes, it feels weird to take this time, but I’m enjoying it while I have the opportunity!
I am so thankful for this job. I love having the flexibility to set my hours. As long as my work gets done, I can really work when I want. Being able to sub occasionally or volunteer at church during the day fills my bucket.
But don’t you miss teaching?
I miss my coworkers and my amazing students almost every day. Teaching is a gift of mine, but as an introvert, it was so incredibly draining. I had nothing left to give Cody or my friends at the end of the school day. Now that I’m a virtual assistant, I’m able to have energy to be a good wife and friend more than on summer vacation! I still teach when I sub, at Financial Peace University, and on the weekends at church!
What is your actual job title?
Amber’s assistant. Other relevant titles include virtual assistant, executive assistant, online secretary, social media manager, and so forth. I really tried to get Chaos Coordinator as an official title, but it never really took off!
Are you also coaching?
Yes and no. Cody and I addressed that here. We are not actively pursuing coaching as a stream of income, but we do lead coaching groups because it was so hard for me to have the motivation and accountability in the same groups that were my job all day long. If you are interested in joining a group for fitness and/or nutrition, feel free to comment below! We’d love to walk through this together!
Your boss lives in Florida now! Isn’t that hard?
It’s hard because she gets to see the sun year round and I’m jealous….It’s also hard because their family has become family to us and we miss the crap out of them. As far as work goes, it’s not too bad. We text, email, and talk “face to face” every day. 90% of what I had been doing when she lived here was online, so I can continue doing that. The other 10%, she and her husband have had to take over, but it works just fine!
Are you moving to Florida too?
Not right now. We went to Florida to visit them, half-expecting God to give us a little nudge that Florida would be a good move for us too. I have a list of reasons I would LOVE to live in Florida, but God has made it pretty clear that Florida isn’t the place for us right now.
All that to say, YES I enjoy my job. YES, it is possible to work from home, and YES, I am eternally grateful to my dear friends who took a chance on me and have allowed me to work for them for the last year.
How to love your music teacher during MIOSM
March is Music in Our Schools month (MIOSM), so as a former music teacher I have an insider’s perspective for all the classroom teachers out there. MIOSM can be truly wonderful, but is often equally busy. Music teachers can sometimes feel undervalued when people react out of stress in all the hustle and bustle.
It’s not a problem isolated to March, though. In my experience, music teachers, like many “specials teachers” are often treated differently from the typical classroom teacher. There are two main opinions: 1) We’re just babysitters who give the classroom teacher a break, and 2) We aren’t “real teachers”, so we don’t know what we’re talking about.
Now I know that most teachers and administrators don’t mean to think of other teachers this way. I think many times people simply don’t understand the amount of training music teachers have. A music education degree (BME) is essentially a complete education degree AND a music degree, combined.
So teachers, if you want show your music teacher some extra love during Music in Our Schools Month, or even all year round, here are my top tips:
Tip 1
During these especially busy periods of the year, music teachers tend to be shuffled from rehearsal to class and back again a million times. Their schedules are overloaded. Dropping your class off five minutes early prevents them from prepping for the next class (or peeing). Five minutes late means they can’t fully prepare your students for their performances, and have to improvise lesson plans that are already tight. Now, I’ve been on the side of the classroom teacher too. I KNOW how desperately you want an extra five minutes free from your cherubs, especially right before breaks. But that five minutes might be the only break your music teacher sees that day!
Tip 2
We know that rehearsals interfere with your schedule and aren’t always convenient. I promise you that music teachers do their best to accommodate everyone’s schedule, but it often just isn’t possible. The more positive you can be, the more positive your students will be, and the better experience everyone can have!
Tip 3
Music teachers have an entire grade level work together all at once to show every parent, grandparent, and community member what they’ve learned in class. It’s a lot of things to think about at once! Imagine if you had to gather the entire first grade together on stage at once to present everything they learned in your math class! Intimidating, right? Recognize that pressure, and give them grace when things aren’t perfect.
It’s not just your music teacher
Many of your specialist teachers have seasons that are more difficult, much like Music teachers in March. Your flexibility and positive attitude make all of our lives (including yours), and our time teaching your kiddos, go so much smoother all year round!
ps. If all else fails, grace and coffee will be surefire ways to show your appreciation.
Top 10 Memories of 2018
2018 was a crazy but fun year here at the Osegard house. As we are ramping up for 2019 and the big things we have planned, we wanted to take a moment to look back at the highlights. Here are the top moments for The Osegards from the previous year!
10 – Shrek the Musical production team
A last minute addition, we were thrilled to be a part of this amazing show at New Life Academy! Plus, being able to setup and run a bunch of theatre tech again was a blast for Cody especially.
9 – Leadership Class
Both of us are honored to be a part of this amazing training program that our church invited us to this year. We’ve had trainings, shadowed pastors and staff, read books and listened to podcasts, with more to come the beginning of this year too.
8 – Coordinating Financial Peace University
Our second time as coordinators and 4th time as group leaders, we just love being able to share with others and hear their stories!
7 – Alyssa’s last Grandparent’s Day programs
They sure are cute, and it’s impressive how well her littles did, but these were a TON of work. Now that Alyssa is done teaching, her time outside of work is freed up so much more!
6 – Momentum training
Back in September, some of the Ramsey Solutions team was up here putting on trainings and meeting with staff at EBC. We were able to meet Anthony O’Neal, attend a great training, and see friends we met while down in Nashville the month before!
5 – The Grand Canyon
This one has been on the list for a while, and we finally made it happen! It was a whirlwind 30-ish hour trip, with a lot of driving, but the views were worth it. We will definitely be back to see even more in the future!
4 – SassyCon 2018
This was by far the BEST convention/training either of us have ever been to. We learned so much relevant, implementable stuff for so many facets of our business and life. The speakers and organizers were top-notch, and the people we met were such genuine, kind, and passionate people. Another great reason to go back to AZ next year!
3 – Florida
Now that our good friends are down in FL, why not escape the cold for a week and spend some quality time with them? We had a blast swimming, playing with the kiddos, eating delicious food (so many great tacos…), and just catching up with our friends!
2 – Nashville and Franklin
Another one off our short-list, we’ve finally made a trip out to Tennessee! We loved the low-key places we found, like Belcourt Taps, with a comfortable vibe and amazing music. And again, TONS of good tacos!
1 – Debt Free!
2018 was the year we became 100% debt free! We are so excited to see what God has planned for us. We love the freedom to decide what to do with our money, instead of being tied to monthly payments and high interest rates. If you haven’t already seen it, check out our Debt Free Scream on the Dave Ramsey show down in Nashville!
Alternatives to Valentine’s Day
One of my all time favorite guilty pleasure movies is Valentine’s Day. It’s got a star-studded cast that tells a million different overlapping storylines about different people celebrating Valentine’s Day. As you can predict, things go awry for almost everyone between miscommunications, embarrassing moments, and heartbreak. Spoiler alert (although it’s been eight years), it turns out well for just about everyone in the end.
It gets me thinking though – we put SO MUCH pressure on this day sometimes. Anything we put that much pressure on is destined to not live up to the expectations we’ve built up in our head. That’s why Cody and I have said goodbye to Valentine’s day.
Here are some ideas of what to do instead of the stereotypical Valentine’s Day that will share the love with others!
Tip Higher Than Normal
It’s a well-known fact that servers are underpaid. Find a restaurant that might not be the typical Valentine’s date location, and make someone’s day! Double your tip, or if you can afford it, tip 100% or above!
Go Serve
Find a place you can volunteer for a few hours. It might be at a local school during an event, or at a place like Feed My Starving Children. Whether your impact is felt directly on Valentine’s day or later, showing love to others on this holiday will make a difference in someone’s lives!
Cook a meal for a family
Cody and I have done this one a few times and it is SO much fun. It ends up being a double date and we get to celebrate our friendship with another couple. This is a great option that is more inexpensive or great for a family who can’t leave little ones with a babysitter for whatever reason.
Watch someone’s kids (for free)
This one is one of our favorites when we get a chance. Perhaps you can watch the kids of someone who is struggling financially and might not be able to afford a babysitter and a night out. Maybe you just want to surprise a friend with a free night of babysitting. I have yet to meet a parent who doesn’t enjoy free babysitting!
What is your plan for the 14th this year? We’d love to hear from you!