Frugal is my middle name...

Okay, so it's not. But for the year 2012 it will be. The Poulsen's are going on a one year spending fast. For real.
Here are my rules.
1.) Stop spending so much money.


Okay, okay... here are the real facts to our spending fast. It's kind of an all around life improvement year long seminar we're attending as a family.

First off, It literally means we don't do anything unless we have the money. I want to stay home with my kids. Because anyone who does knows it's a serious full time job. And in order for that to happen, we need to do some cut backs and lay offs. Oh! how I'm going to miss Pho and Old Navy!

Second, if you all saw my calendar and large list of daily, weekly and monthly family projects you'd die. I've pretty much got our lives down to the second. (Seriously, I'm that neurotic). Brock and I are going to start going to the temple the second Friday of every month. Anyone want to go? We'd love to carpool! I'm going to exercise three times a week, no matter what! We also have a homemade pizza night 2 times a month and monthly in law dinners. We have FHE on Mondays and at 6:30 every night we have baths and/or pj time. Books, Scriptures (which Simon can totally say), prayer, more books, alphabet and counting, and snuggle time. In this order because if we try to read Scriptures and say prayer right before we put him down he starts screaming all through it.

Third, we're going to pay a steady fast offering! I know that is such a blessing, I just need to do it!

Fourth, We also have 30-35 meals that are super cheap to make and we're going to rotate through those exact meals. That way I know we'll use the 12 packs of Manicotti, 4 boxes of Bisquick, and 3 turkeys I got on sale. ;)

And lastly, at least that I can think of at this late hour for my brain, I'm giving up chocolate chip cookies for New Years. I'm convinced it's why I can't loose weight, and I think/hope we'll save a few bucks a month because we seriously ALWAYS have frozen cookie dough in the freezer.

New years, new beginnings... A toast to Ashley Frugal Poulsen.

Cheers!