Claire the Afena Mom Blog

After months of listening to our 20 year old car rattle and hiss, my husband and I had to face the music last week. We’d loaded the family up, puppy and all, and set our sights on the park. It had been raining all day and the kids were ready to run, jump, and play. Moose was ready to make new friends. I was ready for a little time outside the house.

So I love making a budget. It is pretty exciting to plot out how we’re going to save up enough for that next big trip or new furniture. And when you plan things out a year or 18 months in advance, you get to see that savings number grow and grow. Fun, right?

So we decided it was time for a family trip last week, but being the frugal mama that I am, we kept it pretty modest. And by that, I mean we went camping. We don’t own a camper or RV, we own a tent and sleeping bags. And my husband is pretty adept at starting fires, so off we went into the wilderness otherwise known as grandma’s backyard...

With Independence Day at the end of the week, my husband and I are busy planning the family get together. The girls are excited about the fireworks and looking forward to drawing shapes in the air with their sparklers. Little Man will be camped out on this mama’s lap; giggling at his sisters’ antics and watching colors explode in the sky with amazement. We’ll be safe and happy, with full bellies and surrounded by the people we love and the community that has nurtured our family.

I’ve been blessed to know many wonderful fathers in my life, from my own dad, to my stepdad, grandfathers, and my husband. We learn a lot from our dads, and I can definitely say that I developed some of my opinions on money and spending thanks to the men I looked up to as a child and young woman.

My youngest daughter loves the Disney movie, The Little Mermaid. She has mermaid dolls, an Arial dress, and loves the entire story. So when my husband saw that The Little Mermaid would be a show at a theatre in Warsaw, he knew he’d found the perfect Mother’s Day present for me, a trip for me and my little princess.

So this week we brought home a new puppy. I know what you’re thinking…”Claire, you have three kids, you both work, and aren’t you supposed to be building a deck? Are you crazy?!” Well, the short answer is yes, I’m crazy about this puppy!

My family has enjoyed four summers in our current home, and while we’ve put on a new roof, updated the furnace and central air, and changed out some flooring, most of our efforts at improvement have been focused inside the home. As we roll into summer 2015, we’ve decided the time has come to invest some time, effort, and yes, even money, into our outdoor space.