Photo of the Week: What happens in Vegas...

If you were wondering why it was a little quiet here on Simply Suz the past week.... here's why:

Unedited photo of the Las Vegas Strip & Bellagio Fountains (View from my Bellagio hotel room)

That's right, folks! I visited Vegas for the very first time. Although LV has never been on my "must-see" list, (I generally drool over trips to national parks, not casinos) I had a great week (that's right, week) in Sin City. I behaved myself, as I was in town for work meetings & a conference, but I also managed to sneak away to snap some sweet photos. I will put a few up on the blog sometime this week, but I decided to give you a quick look with the winner above. My hotel room at the Bellagio looked over their famous fountains. I could even tune my TV to a station playing the music that the fountains were "dancing" to. I'm not gonna lie, part of me felt like I'd walked onto the set of Ocean's Eleven during my stay in Las Vegas (minus George Clooney & Matt Damon). After a fun but exhausting week, I'm happy to be home.

Happy Birthday, Tara!

This is Tara. You might recognize her from this post. She is one of my best friends. She's also my longest friend. That's right, we've been best buds for 2 decades! What?! That makes us officially old. We met in the 1st grade, were in the same Brownies troop led by our moms, "starred" in a few school plays together (oh yeah, Little Red Riding Hood!), share middle school memories we'd like to forget, high school & college memories we'd like to relive, & a whole lot more in between & after. She's as close to family as you can get. Oh yeah, & it's her birthday. Happy 26th Birthday, Tara! Love you, chica!

From the archives: Tara comes to visit me in Champaign {2006}

Photos of the Week: Acrobatics

After yesterday's marathon post, you & I deserve something happy & light. Thanks for coming to the rescue, Carson.

Scenes from pre-Thanksgiving in Winston. Maybe one day I'll blog about that trip. I have lots of fun photos in addition to these winners (which I snapped away while we were jumping on their trampoline).

For the record, I did jump, but I am not that brave. nor that crazy. nor that acrobatic. Guess you gotta live on the edge a little when your a brand-new doctor, dad, husband & first time homeowner. Kudos, friend. You're ca-razy.

Life for Less: Save Save Save

A friend of mine (we'll call her "J") sent me an email in mid-December asking for advice on how to "save save save" (her words... & I love 'em!) as she & her hubby are saving up for grad school, a home & trying to pay down student loans. They've started a little nest egg, but are looking for new (& maybe creative ways?) to stretch their savings.

At the time J emailed me, I was absolutely slammed both personally & professionally, but now that I have a few minutes, I figured it would be good to share with her & the rest of y'all, as well. Also, in keeping with my New Year's Resolutions, I am not going to apologize for my lack of Life for Less postings (remember, blog = hobby), but I do realize it's been awhile.

{Warning: This is way long....so if you don't have time to read it now, maybe scan now & bookmark for later!}

Let's start with some Dos & Don'ts. Some of this will sound elementary, but it's always good to return to the basics, especially when your primary goal is to increase your savings. In fact, it's really quite simple. It just takes some action.

1. Do take your time! (a.k.a. Don't rush into major purchases or life decisions, for that matter). No matter what you are saving for, make sure you give yourself some time to do adequate research, vet your options, & most importantly, pray about your decision. Matt knew when he graduated from U of I in 2007 that he didn't want to be an architect & he thought dentistry might be the right career fit, but before he jumped back in school he took an entire year to make sure he was serious, shadow dentists, pray about it with me, work, & save up. We try to take that approach to all decisions -- financial/school or otherwise. If you're rushing into to something, there is a chance that down the road you'll have "buyer's remorse." When it comes to major life and financial decisions (think house, car, babies, pets, etc....) take your time. Plus, you'll appreciate it more if you (a) are sure you're ready, (b) can afford it & (c) waited patiently for it! As my momma says, "Patience is a virtue, dear."
2. Don't be dishonest! Don't save by cheating elsewhere. Not a good habit to get into. Just sayin'. What do I mean by this? Welp, since we moved to North Carolina, Matt has done yard work, handy work, & various odd jobs in addition to his regular 9-5 & school gig. It would be easy for us to "forget" to claim this income on our tax return since he's paid in cash & there isn't a paper trail. In fact, I've heard some of my really bright friends tell me "I don't have to pay taxes because I'm paid in cash." Now, I don't believe my friends are inherently dishonest so I'll give 'em the benefit of the doubt. The truth of the matter is, just because you don't have an employer who withholds federal, state & payroll taxes on your behalf doesn't mean that you don't still owe them. Think about it - if you're claiming deductions from your income (e.g. itemized or standard deduction) or credits against your tax (e.g. first time homebuyer credit, education credits, etc.), is it really fair for you to electively omit your income? I don't think so. Nor does the IRS, so if you're employing this strategy, I'd recommend praying you don't get audited. All the law-abiding, tax-paying citizens will appreciate your honesty. Promise.
3. Do GIVE! I truly believe that your savings & giving habits start early. So for young couples, look for opportunities to be generous, because it'll be hard to redirect your giving tendencies down the road. It's easy to make excuses as to why you can't give ("We're paying off loans," "We're saving for school, a home, etc," or the classic "We don't make enough."), but I'd encourage you to take a look at your current situation & reevaluate whether your "excess" could bless someone in need. Most of us enjoy lots of little luxuries, and if we cut back a bit, we could find ways to give regularly to our churches, sponsor a child, & support any "cause" that you believe in! Matt & I have made a commitment that as long as we have an income, we will give. And we have been blessed one thousand times over & have never thought at the end of the month, "if we hadn't have written that check, we could have done X, Y, or Z." I don't tell you that to boast, but to encourage you & demonstrate that it is entirely possible to be generous no matter what your circumstances are! 
4. Don't neglect retirement savings! Yes, I know we're young & retirement seems ages away, but it is never too early to start. You are ultimately responsible for your retirement & an early start will help your retirement savings compound many times over. From a practical perspective, if your employer matches your contribution to your 401(k), at least put enough in to get the full match (for both of my former employer & current employer, I need to put in at least 6% to get the full match). I'd recommend putting at least 10% into a retirement account (401(k) or IRA). Further, I'd recommend that if you have the option, put it in a Roth IRA or 401(k). Why go Roth? You contribute to traditional 401(k)s and IRAs (that's "individual retirement accounts") on a pre-tax basis. That means what you put into the account is excluded from your income until you begin withdrawing (a.k.a. in retirement). At that point, you pay taxes. You contribute to Roth IRAs & 401(k)s, on the other hand, on a post-tax basis. So you'll have to include the income you contribute in your taxable income the year you contribute but the bonus is that your distributions are tax free. So if you anticipate being in a higher tax bracket in retirement (which is what I'm assuming for purposes of this recommendation), it's advisable to pay the taxes now (e.g. Roth) at your presumably lower rate. Don't have a Roth 401(k) option at work? Put in enough to get your employer match, and then put the balance of that 10% (or more!) in a Roth IRA.
5. Do consult your spouse! Self explanatory, right? If it was really that easy, then why do you think so many marriages end in divorce? In fact, a huge source of marital strife for most couples stem from finances! Be on the same page. For us, that means that we consult one another before any major purchase ($50+).  I'd venture to say that nailing down your financial philosophy before you tie the knot is a "must-do." Don't wait until you've said "I do" before deciding how you'll handle your money in marriage. We live by the philosophy that "what's yours is mine," & leave everything comingled (besides our separate retirement accounts at our respective employers). I have a hard enough time keeping track of our joint finances that separate would throw me for a loop, but if being accountable to your spouse for all of your spending eeks you out a bit & you want to maintain some level of financial autonomy, maybe set up individual bank accounts in addition to your joint account where you each get a little "fun money."
6. Don't forget to indulge in a few favorites! You are going to think we are the cheapest people on the planet after you read the rest of this post, & although we may be in the running, I can assure you, we do allow some wiggle room for things we enjoy. For us, that's travel, our camera (our biggest splurge to date), seeing family, our health, good running shoes, education, steak or fresh fish for dinner on occasion, Tide detergent (it's expensive, but I love it) & giving (in no particular order). Many 20somethings want the same standard of living as their parents, but they forget that it took their folks 20-30 years to save up & establish the lifestyle they currently enjoy. Take your time. I'd rather have a healthy retirement account, a modest home, the ability to pay for our kids college & little or no debt by the time I reach my parents age instead of having a big screen TV, fancy car, & clothes I'll wear only once now. Your sacrifices will be totally worth it & you won't even notice them once you make room in your budget for a few splurges (emphasis on "few") & stop comparing your situation to everyone else. Truth be told, your friends with all of the toys may be drowning in debt.

Okay. Now that we have some ground rules laid out, here are some really simple ways to trim your budget & boost your savings. We've implemented all of these at one point or another, & we really don't feel deprived at all! We've foregone some "extras" so that we can give generously, establish an emergency fund, save for retirement, dental school & a future home, & still enjoy a few little luxuries along the way.

• Cancel your premium cable. Drop down to basic or get a pair of rabbit ears! You'd be amazed by the savings! If you primarily watch the major networks, you probably won't even notice.
• Cancel your internet. I know this sounds extreme, but we did this for 2 years in Chicago & we spent so much more time together! Both of us had internet at work & if we needed to get online at home, we went to the library, and kept our internet sessions pretty brief.
• Drop down to a basic phone plan. Our total monthly Verizon phone bill (that's for 2 lines) runs about $70 a month. We don't have text or data on our plan, so when we want to chat with our friends or family, we pick up the phone. If you have a land line, consider ditching it & using just cell phones.
• Line dry your clothes. Almost all of our laundry is air dried (we make a few exceptions for towels & whites). Give it a try! Your clothes will last longer, your sheets will be crisper & your electric bill will be lower! If you're worried about wrinkles, just pop your clothes in the drier for a few minutes, pull them out when they are damp & warm & hang 'em up immediately.
• Change your air filter. It'll improve ventilation, trap some of those nasty allergens & improve your HVAC efficiency (a.k.a. save you $$$).
• Open the windows. We keep our energy bills in check by opening the windows & turning on our ceiling fans in mild weather. Resist the urge to turn the A/C on at the first sign of an uptick in temp. Nothing beats fresh air.
• Turn down the heat. The flip side to opening windows...in the winter, adjust the heat when you leave. We've also done this with our hot water heater when we leave for an extended vacation. We don't turn it off (don't want the pipes to freeze), but we'll dial it down a bit.
• Trim your entertainment budget. To give you an idea, we budget $40 a month for entertainment (that includes any meals eaten outside of our home, movies, ball games, etc). Most months, we spend a few bucks at Redbox. We have friends over for dinner, play games, go to cheap/free events at UNC, hike & bike on the weekends for fun. We have a great time!
• Bike or take public transportation to work. Matt rides his bike to work & will take the bus to school next year. (I work off a major highway, so unfortunately, biking is not in the cards for me). He gets his exercise, & we save more than just gas money. Plus, his bike ride allows us to.....
• Be a one car family. My in-laws did this for years & I know several people who have made it work. For 3 of the last 4 years, we've survived on one car without any major inconveniences. On the rare occasion you need two cars, you can borrow or rent!
• Brew your own coffee & pack a lunch. We've never paid for lunch (or coffee) since we started working & we've probably saved thousands over the past 3.5 years. I'm not exaggerating. I've done the math. It takes a little planning when you go to the grocery store, but it's easy peasy & probably way more nutritious than whatever fast food you pick up.
• Meal plan. I've blogged about this before, but it really & truly helps you keep down your grocery budget. You buy what you need, avoid impulsive stuff you wouldn't normally buy anyhow, & save a few pennies (especially when you plan your meals around sale items at the grocery store).
• Coupon. This post says it all.
• Go easy on the electronics. We're still rocking the same laptops & TVs that we had in college. We're due for an upgrade (our TV is getting to be a bit fuzzy & our 2003 Dells are about to kick it), but we made sure to get our monies worth out of these relatively major purchases. We get our basic phones for free every 2 years & our only "sophisticated" gadget is our camera.
• Put yourself on a shopping diet. As in, don't do it. For me, that means not putting myself in front of temptation (a.k.a. the mall). I have tons of clothes, & I pride myself in getting compliments for outfits from the archives! When I receive monetary gifts (thanks, Gram!), I'll treat myself to a little shopping trip, but I limit it to the amount of the gift. I find that I get a little shopping "high" when I buy something, but that it usually wears off after wearing my new outfit one time. 
• Cut down on primping. Cut your own hair (like Matt), or have your mom cut it (like me). Or check out a beauty school in town (Aveda has great schools) where you can get a cheap cut or color by a supervised student. I'm pretty simple when it comes to beauty - I've never dyed or permed hair (too annoying & expensive to keep up), I refuse to pay $40 for someone to cut my hair in straight line, & mani/pedis are definitely only for special occasions (as in, I've had 3 in my lifetime).
• Graciously accept hand-me-downs. A lot (as in most) of our furniture, as well as both of the cars we've owned, were handed-down by family & friends or purchased on Craigslist. Of course I drool when I flip through a Pottery Barn magazine, but I also adore our "well-loved" pieces. I'd rather save up for the "good stuff" down the road & enjoy our hand-me-downs (which also frequently get compliments!) for the time being!
• Consider "alternative" gifts to your special someone.  We don't exchange birthday, Christmas or Valentine's gifts. Gasp! It started after we got engaged & were saving for a honeymoon. We decided to forego Christmas gifts that year so that we could splurge on a few things on our honeymoon. We've kept the tradition going & I'll admit, I breathe a little easier when the holidays come around because I don't have to dream up a gift for Matt (he is impossible to shop for) & viceversa. We opt instead for "gifts" that we need or want. One year we "bought each other" some sweet North Face sleeping bags, last year we bought our camera, & this year we're planning on getting a new computer.
• Negotiate. My brother-in-law is the poster child for this (cars, jewelry, mattresses, appliances). He's not afraid to negotiate & we've learned from him & developed some confidence in this "art," as well. In fact, Matt talked down our landlady in our monthly rent without even breaking a sweat. When you're facing a major purchase, see if you can get the price lowered, more preferable terms, etc. If you are willing to walk away from a purchase & the seller sees that they might genuinely lose your sale, all of the sudden your price & terms become a whole lot more flexible. Give it a try.
• Pick up the phone. I am not afraid  to pick up the phone & call a manufacturer (or email or write them) if a product doesn't live up to my expectations. I've done it for everything from our car to some "natural" deoderant that gave both Matt & me a rash (got a $5 check in the mail after taking 2 minutes to fill out a complaint on the internet). I'm really polite about it & usually the company will reimburse me, send me a replacement, or at the very least give me a "good job" for trying.
• Roadrip & Camp. Want to travel? Need to do it on the cheap? Campsites usually run less than $20 a night & at typical hotel rates, you can sleep for a whole week for the price of one night in a hotel! and Visit amazing places! Breathe fresh air! Truly "disconnect from it all." Okay, maybe we're just crazy outdoor lovers, but seriously, it's awesome. and cheap. and opens up a whole new world of destinations that you couldn't or wouldn't afford as young, broke travelers.
• Get a library card. I could not have kept up my 2-4 books a month habit in Chicago without my library card. If you read the book, love it & truly think you'll read it again then buy it. Otherwise, don't feel guilt about returning to the library that book you just couldn't get into because you didn't pay a dime!
• DIY. From Christmas cards to home decor, I'm a DIY dabbler. You can create the look you're looking for on the cheap if you're up for the challenge. There are tons of DIY blogs out there, so I won't bore you with my DIY-tales.
• Rethink your gym membership. Although I'm ready to rejoin, our 2 year gym hiatus saved us somewhere between $1500 and $2000. If you live somewhere where you can exercise outside all year round, or if you have space in your home to workout there, or if you pay for a gym you never visit - maybe it's time to take a break from the gym (note: I did not say stop exercising! see the next bullet point).
• Take good care of yourself. Exercise, a healthy diet, and preventive health care are more than good for your body. They're good for your pocketbook. 
• Don't overinsure. If you are like us and have minimal health care costs right now, consider high deductible health insurance coupled with a health savings account. No need to pay for a cadillac health insurance plan when you only go to the dr. for routine physicals.  In fact, your high deductible plan may even cover routine preventive care 100% (ours does!). For other health care costs, although your deductible will be high (which means you are responsible for your health care costs up to your deductible instead of paying a small copay when you go to the doctor), you can sock your premium savings in a tax deductible health savings account! Your employer may even make a contribution to your HSA as a perk of selecting a HDP. Then when you do have a medical bill to pay, you've got the money set aside. As your family grows & your health care costs rise, consider making the switch out of the high deductible plan.
• Marry an accountant. That friendly tip was courtesy of the Mister. He's a pretty smart man.

If you read through this entire post, I commend you. It took me a whole lot more than the "few minutes" I had when I got started (in fact, this post was developed over the course about a week). If you want more personal finance resources, check out these great web sites:

• The AICPA (American Institute of Certified Public Accountants) has an excellent consumer education site called 360 Degrees of Financial Literacy. No matter what stage of life you're in, 360 will help you make sound financial decisions.
• FeedThePig.org is also the brainchild of the AICPA, which was created to help 20somethings "think about your spending and saving habits, identify ways you can start saving and commit to making changes that will reduce your debt and grow your savings." You'll find a lot of savings tips (probably some repeats of the ones above), & tools to help you get started.

Happy saving!

Sorry.... My anal retentive side is telling me this is necessary: Circular 230 Disclosure: To ensure compliance with requirements imposed by the IRS, I inform you that any U.S. federal tax advice contained in this blog is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, for the purpose of (i) avoiding penalties under the Internal Revenue Code, or (ii) promoting, marketing, or recommending to another party any transaction or matter that is contained in this document.

Eleven for 2011

In celebration of the New Year, I'm joining the blog bandwagon & posting my New Year's resolutions. In all honesty, I'm usually not the resolution-type, but I figure it certainly wouldn't hurt to try to get a few of my goals down on paper the blog (for all of you to see!). Please don't judge me if I fail miserably. Let's get right to it with my Eleven for 2011!

1. Read regularly. Starting with the most important book, the b-i-b-l-e. I've read through The Bible in a Year  3 or 4 times, & I've found that it is the only way I can be faithful in taking time out to read the Word every day. Left to my own devices, I watch too much TV & read recipe books more than the big B. The CPA in me likes a plan that I can tick through day-by-day, so this is a great way for me to work in consistent quiet times back into my daily routine. 
2. Library. Stat. I know, I know, this is a continuation of #1. But I also want to read more for pleasure. When I had a train ride to & from work in Chicago, I read a ton. I was constantly checking books out of the Oak Park Public Library & I enjoyed that wind down time twice a day. I need to block out time to read at home. Make an appointment to go to the library more often (or work through the stacks of unread books I have at home) & plop down on the couch & read. Sounds easy & enjoyable enough, am I right?
3. Take "note" of Gram's good habits. My Grandma K. is amazing for a lot of reasons, but perhaps most notably to her out-of-town grandkids is her faithfulness in writing us letters! She is constantly sending us snail mail, which makes going to the mailbox that much more exciting (not just bills in there!) My goal for 2011 is to send one piece of snail mail a week. A birthday card, thank you note, postcard from our latest adventure, or maybe just an unexpected note to say "hi" to a friend. Hopefully, I'll make Gram proud.
4. Add a little variety. When we moved to NC, we decided against getting a gym membership. Unlike Illinois, we can work out outside almost every day all year. We invested in some free weights & P90x to keep up with our strength workouts, & we run or bike on our cardio days. Although we've saved a lot of moo-lah, it's getting kind of boring. When Matt starts school, he'll probably have access to the university's gym, & you better believe I'm buying a family membership. I never thought I'd say this, but I miss spin class.
5. Clean up. My friend Jen designates deep clean weeks throughout the year. This year, I'm scheduling several for us, as well. We're good at remembering to take care of weekly chores (bathrooms, laundry, vacuuming, dusting, etc...), but not so great at remembering to wash baseboards, scrub floors (I'm embarrassed about that one!), wash windows, clean cabinets, clean the fridge/freezer, etc. on a regular basis. These chores end up getting done, but usually we wait too long in between! Now they're going on the calendar! Thanks, Jen!
6. See the Southwest. Matt & I love to travel. Our budget limits us to camping trips, which happen to be right up our alley (we're outdoorsy-sleep under the stars-hike for fun-type people). This year, before Matt starts dental school, we want to squeeze in another fun, long-ish camping trip. We're thinking the Southwest, as we could hit a ton of National Parks in a couple of weeks time. Plus, neither of us have spent a significant amount of time in that part of the country, so it'd be a great adventure! 
7. Make it reflect the McAs. I've been itching to put our "mark" on our current home. Although our place reflects our style in some ways, many of the design choices reflect our land lady's taste. When we finally figure out where we'll be spending the next 4 years, I have a serious "to-do" list when it comes to the McA-ifying our home.
8. Just get rid of it! Like probably 99% of America, we've accumulated some "junk" over the past 3 & 1/2 year (let's be honest, the last 26 years). It's time to sift through all of our "stuff" & giveaway or sell the stuff we don't use. I'll sleep better at night when I can open our coat closet downstairs without worrying about junk falling out (in our defense, our coat closet is as close as we get to a garage!). Still, no excuse this year. If we haven't used it in at least a year & I haven't looked at it since I packed it up for our move, it's hitting the curb.
9. Watch her grow. One of the hardest parts of living in North Carolina is being so far away from our families, & especially our niece, Hannah. It seems like every time we see her, she's learned all new tricks, is increasingly chatty & mobile, & has just plain grown up! This year, I want to make sure to incorporate some impromptu trips in our schedule to see her sweet little self. Believe me, it's good for my health.
10. Kick it up a notch. By the end of 2011, I want to be able to shoot exclusively in Manual mode. While I'm at it, I also need to figure out & implement a better system to chronicle my photos. And accept that deleting fuzzy photos of Hannah is a-o-k; I have 500 more. My precious hard drive has filled up quickly since that little lady came arrived.
11. Blog when I feel like it. Shocker. I know. But this blog is a hobby. I happen to have a job that I like, a husband who I love, an exercise routine that I know I need to keep up, a faith that I need to grow, a house that needs cleaning (a la #5), a travel schedule that sometimes overwhelms me, family & friends who I like to keep up with, books I need to read & well, a life that isn't chronicled on the internet. So I'll pop in on Simply Suz occasionally, but probably not on any sort of regular schedule. The blog's been a fun diversion for me. It started when Matt was taking classes last spring & I had some time on my hands. When life picks up, I tend to take step back from the blog & I need to be okay with that (somehow I feel obligated to post & am apologetic when I don't...newsflash! this is not anywhere near my top priority!). So please bear with my random blogging!
12. BONUS: I know I said only 11, but if we're getting technical, #1 & #2 could certainly be combined. But seriously, my top priority for 2011 is enjoying 2011. The past 3 years, Matt & I have constantly been looking ahead to the future --- toward dental school, moving, starting a family, getting a puppy, moving again(?), buying a home --- the list goes on. With all of that anticipation & stress, we've found it difficult to enjoy our current circumstances. We're in our mid-twenties, have few obligations besides going to work &/or school, have a decent nest egg (due to our extreme frugality), have the flexibility & means to travel... even if it means on a limited budget, don't have a penny of debt (nor have we ever had debt), are in good health, serve a great God, & we have each other. In 2011, I want to give up the anxiety & stress & stop worrying so much about the future. God will take care of those next steps & it does me no good to worry. It's time to start living for right now. Amen?!

Alrighty folks. There you have it. Eleven (with a bonus 12th!) in 2011. If I'm still blogging on 1/1/2012, we'll have to revisit these to see how I've done! Are you making any resolutions this year? If so, share 'em in the comments! Cheers, friends!

A Chicago Christmas

We spent Christmas in the Windy City. Well, technically in the western burbs, but we did make a trip one evening down to the city. It was our fourth Christmas as a married couple & our first one spent in Chicago. Woops. Thankfully, my in-laws forgive me for schlepping Matt to Florida every Christmas prior. They're pretty great.

Not only was it our first Christmas together in Chicago, but it was also my first White Christmas! I actually may have enjoyed a snowy Christmas in the winter of 1984 while living in Champaign, but my memory doesn't extend back to those infant years. Nevertheless, it was beautiful & peaceful & wonderful to share such a special holiday with Mom, Dad & Tommy Mac (& Grandpa, Margot, aunts/uncles & cousins!)

We spent a lot of quality time with the McA family, enjoyed Momma Mac's yummy cooking, had lots of good conversation, celebrated Christmas with 3 different families (the "Butt sisters" - Heidi's high school friends, Grandpa & Margot, and the McAndrew uncles, aunts & cousins), & of course, exchanged presents. Somehow, even as adult "kids" we always are on the better end of that exchange! Someday when we're no longer poor young professionals/student, we'll return their generosity.

Despite our short trip (Thursday to Tuesday), we even squeezed in a day trip to Moline to visit my grandma & extended family and had some of our U of I friends over for breakfast one morning. We officially wore ourselves out. Truth be told, I was worn out before most of the festivities began, due to my unexpectedly busy December & was a tad bit under the weather Christmas Day, but bounced back in no time!

Without further adieu, here is our trip in photos (my favorite way to share our travels, if you haven't already noticed).

Family time. My favorite. Pictured: Mom, Dad, Tommy, Grandpa Bud, Margot, & us.

I am obsessed with Christmas bokeh. Blame it on my love for twinkle lights.

The McAs were all decked out for Christmas! Check out those beautiful snow-covered lights. Well done, Dad!

Almost midnight Christmas Eve at the church across the street from the McAs. We could hear the choir singing as I snapped away.

Front moving through en route to Moline. Snow covered plains. (All photos taken out of the window of a moving vehicle.)
Naturally, I forgot to take any photos of our time with our Moline family & with our college friends. Oh well.

Downtown Chicago all decked out for Christmas.

Heading back home from the train through downtown Glen Ellyn. A charming village.

From our home to yours....

Wishing you a warm & cozy Christmas.

{For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be 

on his shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, 

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6}

Happy Birthday, Little Bro!

My favorite little brother, Mark, turns 23 today!!!!!

I find it hard to believe that our little Mark is all grown up. I've written before about how very proud I am of him; and even though he's probably technically a "man," he'll always be my loveable, annoying, handsome, talented, laid-back, little bro.

In honor of his big day, I figured I'd take you through a little trip down memory lane.... I'm not sure if Mark reads my blog, but after some of these photos, he may find a way to sabotage Simply Suz & take me off the web. Sorry, Bubs. Forgive me. I couldn't resist! Some of these are just too classic! (Plus, you & I know there's worse floating out there!)

Happy Birthday! We love you!
Suz & Matt

(On the left: My all-time favorite photo with Mark. Lake Tahoe circa 2000. When he was still smaller than me. That didn't last much longer.)

What a cute & lucky little guy. 2 big sisters!

I think Mark's rethinking "lucky" & "big sisters" right here.

He was a cutie-pie. (Still is).

Somebody has their rally cap on! Go Cubs!

Best Halloween Costumes EVER.

One of many wonderful family vacay memories.

And just like that he was bigger than me!

Way bigger. (I never caught up)

The kid cleans up nice.

But he also knows how to have a good time!

Did I mention he's a baller?

He's also a really sweet Uncle.

Makes my heart melt.

Hannah loves her Uncle "Dude"

So glad we got to see you this month, Mark!

Wish we could be at home today celebrating with you! Hope you know how loved you are! Happy 23rd!

Happy Birthday, Liz!

Happy 26th Birthday to one of my favorite friends...LIZ!

The fab four: Tara, Suz, Lynds & Liz

Liz & I have been friends since middle school & she is truly one of

my favorite girls. She has a wonderful heart, incredible confidence,

amazing talent, & (as if that wasn't enough) she knows how to have

have fun, laugh & play! I can't wait to celebrate with her this spring

in person!  in COLORADO! YIPEE! (Can you tell I'm excited?!?)

 

Liz, I hope you feel both loved & celebrated today, friend!!!!

Tuesday Musings: A list from our cozy couch

Our darling Floridian turned snowbunny. Sledding = Gigglefest. Check out that big smile & those rosy cheeks!

It's after 11 on a Tuesday & I should be in bed already! Since I'm due for a Tuesday Musing, I thought I'd share a very short list before I call it a night...

1. I am so very thankful for the many people who prayed for my family & especially my grandpa this last month. Last night, I spent some wonderful time with a special group of girls & was reminded of how blessed I am to have a community (both near & far) who genuinely cares. You know who you are. Thank you.
2. We bought a Christmas tree on Saturday night when I got back from Illinois (had to zip the windows off the Jeep to get it on our car, which made for a chilly ride home) & since then, I've officially camped out in our living room. I spent the better part of the day working from my couch, after dinner I plopped down in the same spot to work on Christmas cards, and last night, I fell asleep reading down here. There's just something about the smell of pine, all of our sentimental ornaments &, of course, the pretty twinkle lights. Love love love our tree. We considered not getting one this year since it's already so close to Christmas, but I couldn't bear an empty reminder in our living room of our difficult December. I think it was a good decision.
3. Speaking of Christmas cards, I'll be lucky if I get them out by New Year's. Our unexpected trip to Moline has me a tad behind on all things Christmas so our mailing list is getting a bit of a trim so that I can at least get cards out to family & out of town friends. Wish me luck!
4. If my niece Hannah was my child (believe me, I pretend sometimes), I might consider scrapping all of the Christmas card photos we took earlier this month & using the beauty at the top of this post instead. It's my laptop background & has been helping me keep my chin up the last few days. Hannah was an absolute godsend this last week. When everyone was tired, sad & cranky, she cheered us up... waddling around her "GaGa's" house, generously giving hugs & kisses to loads of relatives (& a few new friends), stealing cell phones, playing in the snow (a first! she loved sledding!), brushing her/our hair, feeding beenie babies with an ear drop bottle she found, tooting at the dinner table, waving "hi" to shoppers at the grocery store & talking (a lot).  I love that little girl.
5. My presence on the blog may be a little light through the end of the month. In addition to tackling my growing "to-do" list (that includes finishing my Christmas shopping...yikes!), I want to carve out plenty of time to cozy up on my couch with a cup of coffee, a good book or favorite Christmas movie, (and of course, Matt) & relax. After the ups & downs of the last month, I think we deserve it. In case I don't get a chance to wish you a Merry Christmas closer to the big day, I hope that the joy & peace & presence of the Lord fills your heart this Christmas season.

Come to me....

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest in your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." {Matthew 11:28-30}

Grandpa Kron's Military Burial

3 weeks ago today, my Grandpa suffered a stroke in the middle of the night. He was less than 2 weeks away from a surgery to remove his kidney, where cancer had spread. Over the next 2 weeks in the hospital, his prognosis fluctuated. He regained movement in his partially paralyzed left side, but never was able to swallow. While in the hospital he picked up several infections, including MRSA & pneumonia, which complicated his already delicate health. 

Gram & Gramps: holding hands after 63 years together.

2 Wednesdays ago, my mom flew up to Illinois be with him in Moline. She had planned to arrive after his scheduled surgery to help with the post-surgery rehab, but moved up her trip once the surgery was canceled & Gramps health continued to deteriorate. The next day, Thursday morning, she called me to let me know that Gramps was slipping away. I jumped on a flight to Moline & a few hours later I was in the hospital with my mom, Grandma, uncles, aunts, & cousins, reassuring Grandpa that God was with him, offering him eternal rest & respite from suffering. There were moments in the next 36 hours where we thought he may let go, but he stayed with us. So we held his hand, sang him his favorite hymns, read to him, prayed with him. We even slept at hospital & made friends with some of the kind staff.

Early morning at the hospital.

Last Saturday morning, my dad, sister, brother & niece arrived from Florida.  The last of Grandpa's family (with the exception of Matt & my brother-in-law Matt) had a chance to hold Grandpa's hand and tell him how much they loved him. Less than 5 minutes after my sister and brother stepped out of Grandpa's hospital room on Saturday morning, he decided to start letting go. He had held on to give his grandchildren a chance to say goodbye. All of grandpa's children (except my sweet Aunt Becky, who stayed behind at Grandma's to watch my niece, Hannah) and grandchildren were with him when he left us to be with the Lord.

Gram receives Grandpa's flag

Grandpa had a beautiful visitation on Tuesday, where probably 300+ people came to offer condolences to my Grandma, mom and uncles. On Wednesday, we celebrated his life at a truly special funeral, a snowy graveside military burial (complete with a 21 gun salute & taps), & a lovely luncheon at my Grandma's church. Matt along with my brother, cousin, dad and brother-in-law, honored Grandpa as pallbearers. I was fortunate enough to get to spend the rest of the week in Moline, helping wrap up some details for Grandma. It was a bittersweet week. It was a joy to gather as a family, something that we rarely have the opportunity to do, but difficult given the circumstances.

My sister and I gave a eulogy at Grandpa's service on Wednesday, which I decided to share here. I realize that this will make an already long post, even longer, but hopefully this will give you a glimpse of the kind of man our Gramps was and how loved & missed he'll be.

 .........

My favorite photo of Gramps. Taken on my wedding day.

Our Grandpa, affectionately “Gramps,” brought a lot of joy, laughter & love to our lives. Over the past few days, our family has shared many stories about the life of Gramps, including his more endearing (& sometimes amusing) characteristics. As Katie & I thought about how we could honor him today, we reflected on the lessons we learned from the almost 29 years he’s been a part of our lives. So here they are, “Life Lessons Learned from Grandpa Kron….”

Number One: Always be on time

Grandpa was a man of routine.  Whether it was his breakfast schedule, dinner menu, faithfulness in heading down to the mall for a walk or out to a Moline ball game, or his appointments to watch the grass grow in the front drive, he was nothing short of predictable. Probably his most predictable trait, however, was that he was never ever ever late.

In all of his years at John Deere, Grandpa was never late for work. He was the first one ready to go to our ball games, & the first guest at our weddings. He was early to all of his appointments and wholeheartedly considered it rude to keep people waiting. Some of us are still learning the art of punctuality and I’m sure we’ll never live up to Gramps’ standard, but we appreciated this characteristic. He respected people’s time & knew the importance of showing up when you’re expected.

There is only one occasion that we could recall where Grandpa was ever late. This past Friday, Grandpa was ready to head up to his eternal home, but he waited one extra day so that two of his grandchildren could say goodbye. What a fitting and kind way to end his life -- waiting for us.

Number Two: Be passionate

Grandpa was very passionate and loyal about the things he loved in his live, including his family, friends, sports, his hometown, Moline, the Gaithers and John Deere. He was an avid sportsfan, it didn’t matter if his team was on a winning or losing streak, he faithfully tuned in or hopped on a bus to cheer them on. The Cubs, Bears, Maroons and Hawkeyes all held a special place in his heart.

Grandpa was also very passionate about his garden.  Every summer he grew his vegetables and generously shared them with his family and neighbors.  He didn’t give up even when the animals got through the fence, instead he just moved his garden into the grill. (Sidenote for blog readers: Grandpa grew tomatoes in his Weber grill. He figured the animals would have a difficult time getting up to the grill & the kettle was a perfect pot.)

Each one of his kids and grandkids have found similar passion for different things in our lives. Although our passions may not have always aligned with Grandpa’s, he supported us just the same.

Number Three: Make friends wherever you are

It was such a joy to meet many of Grandpa’s friends yesterday afternoon. We were amazed by the number of people who had been befriended by Gramps over the years.

He had friends everywhere he went. He couldn’t help it. Grandpa was a friendly & outgoing guy. He made buddies at the mall, with waitresses at restaurants, at Hafners, Moline games, and especially in the neighborhood. He had a team full of friends – nurses & doctors – caring for him at the hospital these last two weeks.

If you had any doubt about his ability to make friends, you could have just observed him at our weddings. By the end of the weekend, all of the bridesmaids knew Gramps and probably his life & health history. I remember watching him say goodbye to one of my best girlfriends at my wedding by planting a big, juicy, Grandpa Kron kiss right on her lips.

Despite his many quirks, Grandpa was a loveable man. In fact, I’m sure he’s already set up his lawn chair in heaven, waved “hi” to the neighbors & made several new friends in his new home.

Number Four: Treasure your family

One of the most important things to Grandpa was his family; he loved spending time with each one of us.  It didn’t matter where we were, he was always proud to introduce us to his friends, at the mall, the basketball game, the waitress at the restaurant.  Some of our favorite times were sitting together visiting in Grandma and Grandpa’s living room; we’d all pile in, some of us on the floor, and just sit and talk.

Every year, Grandma and Grandpa spent time with their family in Moline, but they also made sure to come down to visit their family in Florida. When it got too difficult for Grandpa to make the long drive to Florida, and before Grandma was ready to get on an airplane, Grandpa agreed to take the Grey Hound.  He and Grandma made the long 24 hour trip to Florida on the bus that year to visit us.

He was so proud of his grandkids.  Throughout the years, both he and Grandma came to our school events, Grandparent’s Days, high school graduations, and confirmations. It made him especially proud to cheer us on at our sporting events, because perhaps it reminded him of his glory days playing basketball, baseball and golf.

This past year, it was his dream, and a goal that he achieved, to come to Florida to watch Mark during his final year of college basketball and to meet Hannah, his great-grandchild.  He loved holding Hannah and enjoyed talking to her and playing with her.

Grandpa’s love for his family is something we will always treasure.

Number Five: Keep an open heart

The most important lesson we could take from Grandpa’s life is the importance of keeping your heart open to the spirit of the Lord. Many faithful believers - most notably Grandma - prayed that Grandpa would come to know the Lord even late in life, & I can say wholeheartedly that the peace of God was so present in his last few days. God was with Grandpa, & I believe that Grandpa’s heart was softened to the Lord & that he welcomed the presence of Jesus in his life. 

As Katie & I talked about what was the most important thing any of us could learn in our lifetimes, it is the simple truth that God loves us, created us as his children, died for our sins on the cross, conquered death in the resurrection & wants nothing more than to have a relationship with us. As Grandpa suffered those last 2 weeks, we believe that the Lord spoke softly to him, offering him eternal respite from his suffering & that Grandpa accepted the wonderful, free gift that God offers to all of us on the cross.

Jesus promises us this rest in Matthew 11:28-30:

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest in your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

As we reflect on his life today, Gramps is with the Lord today, resting in the knowledge that he is a child of God and will live eternally with his heavenly father. What a life lesson to celebrate.

oh so proud.

This is one of my favorite pictures of my hubby.

His sweet niece is giving her Uncle Matt (who she affectionally calls "du" for "dude") some lovin'. I think that Hannah would give "du" a big hug & kiss today if she was close by to congratulate him on being accepted to dental school (well, let's get technical...schools!).

Of the 8 schools Matt interviewed at, he's been accepted at 5, waitlisted at 2, & is waiting to hear from one last school (Hint: It's the one that's located in the town we live in. They're a little behind on the admissions process & haven't contacted any interviewees yet.) Hurry up & wait....

Matt's a humble man. Doesn't like to boast, so I'm doing it for him tonight. I am so proud of him. This has a been long process & he has stayed the course, patiently waiting. We still have 4+ years ahead of us, but I am so glad that the admissions committees saw in him what everyone else who meets him knows to be true. He is a good man, a hard worker, & a genuine caretaker who will be an excellent dentist. Matt told me last week that his goal at work that day was to make a crabby patient smile. And he did it. That's the kind of man he is.

Once we get the final word from the last school, we're going to have to sit down, have a heart to heart & figure out where oh where we want to spend the next four years. One this is for sure. My husband is going to be a dentist. Yahooooooo!

P.S. I'll keep you posted on where he ends up going when we figure it all out. For now we're anxiously patiently waiting!

Happy Birthday, Lyndsey!

Happy Birthday to my sweet, dear friend, Lyndsey!!!!!!!!

She has a heart of gold & I am so thankful for her friendship.

Lynds, I hope that your 26th birthday is full of love & laughter!

(Taking it back... May 2007!)

Tis the season!

With Thanksgiving in the rear view mirror, I suppose it's time for me to put away my pumpkins, pilgrims & gourds & pull out my Christmas decorations! Tis the season for twinkle lights, Advent calendars, Christmas cookies, ornaments & Christmas cards!

I love receiving Christmas cards in the mail from friends & family, & by mid-fall, I've usually picked out our Christmas card/photo (we're using this one)! All over the blogosphere, I've been reading about Shutterfly's blogger holiday card giveaway. Blog about Shutterfly (what's not to love about their amazing Christmas card designs?!) & get 50 free cards! What a deal! We've used Shutterfly in the past for our Christmas cards & have always loved the finished product!

I'd already ordered my photos when I read about this awesome promotion, so I said "shucks!" & vowed to pay attention next year. Until... I thought about my big sister. I'd already offered to take their family Christmas card photo while we were home for Thanksgiving, so I thought I'd see if she'd like to take advantage of the 50 free cards. I'm all about sharing the love. Katie was in, so all we needed to do was to capture some sweet photos of their fam (no small feat with a 14 month old) & pick out a Shutterfly design. Here are the finalists...

Option #1
This was my absolute favorite photo of the entire shoot. Hannah just started walking on her own while we were home (I think she was waiting for Aunt Suz & Uncle Matt to arrive to make her big move!). She went from taking a few steps to completely tottling around independently & she was oh-so-proud of herself.

With her sweet & a little bit naughty expression, I think this Shutterfly design would be perfect!

Option #2
I absolutely melt when I see Hannah's sweet smile in this photo. She is so loved.

I think that this photo would look great with this simple Shutterfly design.

Option #3
This is the best family photo (at least of everyone's faces) that we captured. It's tough getting a 14 month old to smile & look at the camera at the same time. Uncle Matt & the abundance of Florida oranges (true to form for our family, Hannah loves a ball & the oranges in the backyard passed muster as balls) helped capture Hannah's attention!

For this photo, I love this Shutterfly design. It's so important to remember the real reason for the season & I love when a Christmas card reflects that.

I'll leave the ultimate choice up to Katie since these are her cards! I'll also share some more cute photos from our little shoot & week in Florida later on the blog.

Psst... Have your own blog? Bloggers get 50 free holiday cards from Shutterfly. Learn more here!

Thanks, Shutterfly!

Thankful

I'd planned to write an extensive list of all of the things that I am thankful for this year here on Simply Suz, but what I am most thankful for at the moment is the chance to spend time with my family this week. I'll spare you the list, as I'd rather be counting my blessings with my family than spending time recounting them here on the blog.

I am so blessed to have a wonderful, supportive, loving, faithful family & to have married into a pretty amazing family, as well. This Thanksgiving, I am also especially thankful that I grew up having a relationship with all four of my grandparents, & I am praying hard that the Lord stands beside my Grandpa K as he recovers from the stroke he suffered on Sunday & as he faces the seriousness & difficulty of cancer. I hope that as he spends his Thanksgiving in a hospital room, he is reminded how loved, cherised & lifted up in prayer he is... Love you, Gramps.

Gramps

This is my beloved Gramps, with my super-sweet niece Hannah....
Gramps is very sick & needs some prayers right now,
so if you're reading this, please lift him up to the Lord. 
Thanks, blog friends. Love, Suz

PhotoBOOK of the Week!

Sorry for the lack of blogging over here on Simply Suz. I've been busy creating a photo book (using Blurb's Booksmart, my fave) of our summer vacation to Alaska. About 2 weeks ago, I received an email from Blurb offering 20% off my next book.* Here's the catch, I had less than a month to finish it. I'm a frugal lady & will do almost anything to take advantage of a sale. I've also found that I need motivation to start & finish a Blurb book & a sale is just the ticket to kick me into high gear.

This was my 6th Blurb book (have I mentioned I'm a very happy customer? I've written about blurb once, twice, three times already!) & probably took the most time & effort. I've become more comfortable using their software, which meant that I created custom layouts for almost every page. For the control freak like me, that's a huge selling point. If you don't like Blurb's preset layouts, or want to tweak the size of a photo or text box, you can edit the layouts.

Once I painstakingly went through hundreds of photos & picked out my favorites, tweaked or created new layouts, & wrote a little travelogue, I finally gave my book a good once-over... Overall, I was pleased. Thankfully, my little blog series gave me a head start. A lot of my favorite photos were already picked out & I'd already written about our whirlwind vacation in detail right here on the blog. (I'd already done the hard part).

When I previewed the book, I did notice that some of the photos looked a little fuzzy, which puzzled me. We'd just bought a fancy-schmancy new camera & the photos were super big with amazing resolution (in fact, I plan on blowing up this one in canvas & putting on our mantel). After searching Blurb FAQs & finally emailing customer support, I discovered that my photos were just too-dang-big. Jamming all of those megapixels into teeny image boxes distorted the photo. And here I thought low-resolution would be my only problem! I had to go through each & every photo in the book (319 to be exact), determine the "optimal resolution" in Blurb, open in Picasa, export a lower-resolution copy of the original photo, import that copy into Blurb & replace the original file. It. took. forever.

In the end, I'm glad I took the extra time. I would have been super bummed had the book come in the mail & all of the photos were fuzzy! I thought y'all might want to take a looksie (note that the blurry photos exist in this little preview, the photos you see are a lower resolution "placeholder" if you will, of the actual files). If you read my Alaska series, a lot of the photos will look familiar, but feel free to flip through if you're at all curious! Consider putting together a Blurb book of your own. You won't be disappointed!

*Psst....Want to make your own book & get a 20% discount? Finish & upload your book by November 26th & enter "PROMO" at checkout.

PhotoSHOOT of the Week: Mel Headshots

My beautiful friend, Melanie, needed headshots taken to use when she auditions for plays & she asked me if I'd be willing to take them for her. Yes, CPA-Suz has dramatic, creative friends who live in an entirely different world than her. Of course I said "yes." One, because I love taking pictures. Two, because I love Mel.

Mel was so patient with me while I fiddled around with my camera, dragged her all around the grounds of Rashkis Elementary (Matt & I run on a path by the school & I am in love with the bamboo on the trails), & asked her to smile...now be serious...now smile...now look pensive. What can I say? I'm new to this, & haven't really mastered taking care of my job behind the camera & instructing the subject what to do (Not that Mel needed much if any coaching. She is the pro. I am the amateur). Plus, I usually photograph flowers & trees & mountains. They don't need both of their eyes to be in focus.

Mel has gorgeous green eyes, which really worked well with the bamboo/pinetree backdrops. All of the photos on this page are "SOOC" (straight out of the camera), with the exception of the B&W, which I made monotone in desktop Picasa (the color file was a little too warm for my liking). Of course, Photoshop would be helpful to do a little touch up, but sadly, Matt's computer which actually has Photoshop is dead as a doornail. Luckily, Mel's a natural beauty & doesn't need any editing!

Here's my favorite, which actually happened to be one of the first photos I took! Mel's favorite was the bottom row, second from the left in the collage above. Which one do you like best? You should be able to click to enlarge...

Psst... I decided to use my free flickr account for now for photos. I'm still contemplating which "pay for storage" site I want to use to house my photos. Hopefully I don't run out of free flickr space before I make up my mind!