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About 365 days of marriage

I started this blog in April of 2011. At the time, Bret and I were wedding photographers and it was a way to share how marriage is more about the day to day and so much more than the wedding day itself. For about 5 years, I blogged about the joys and sorrows of the Christian walk, marriage, work, family and friends. Iโ€™ve blogged every day since a few weeks after I started. In May of 2015, we photographed our last wedding. Now, I have become passionate about simplicity, particularly in marriage, Christianity, business, travel and life. For a number of reasons, we have become minimalists. Iโ€™ve found that having simplicity makes life so much deeper, refreshing and joyful. I hope that this blog will help others see the benefits of living simply.

Day 3216 – Twenty Years Ago Today, Something Changed My Life Forever

Twenty years ago, I was 15 years old and I worked at Chick-fil-a. My boss was a really incredible guy and I loved my job. He was encouraging when I failed my learner’s test to get my learner’s permit. From what I remember, it was a fun environment to work.

On this morning, twenty years ago, I received a phone call. He had been in an accident and passed away. It was the first in what would be a series of similar calls over the years. And even though I only knew him for a short time, this particular loss changed my life the most.

I’m not sure how I felt about life and death and regrets and taking chances before this moment. But since that phone call, I try to approach every single day as if it was my last. I am utterly aware of my mortality and take the fact that I could go at any moment very seriously. I can look back on my life and say I don’t really have any regrets. Sure, I’ve made mistakes. I’ve driven drunk. I’ve been arrested. I’ve messed things up. But I look at these things through the lens of learning.

Having such a view of life really helps to say no to things that don’t help me. Since I have a finite amount of time on this planet, why am I wasting it feeling guilty about something that I shouldn’t feel guilty about? Why am I worrying what other people think about me? Why am I NOT going to the movie? Why am I NOT taking the trip? While I am not reckless with my time, money, emotions, and life (i.e. quitting everything to go live on the beach or in the woods.) I do take chances. I do say the things I want to say. I don’t say the things I don’t want to say.

I still have a long way to go and I’m grateful that life is all about continual learning. But when I start to worry, or feel guilty, or discouraged, I remind myself that it could all be over in an instant, and I have the power to make my life what I want it to be.

If you’re walking through a great loss, know that it could be completely changing your life, for the amazingly, wonderfully, good.

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Day 3215 – Childlike Joy – or – A New Movie Watching Experience

One of the things in my January letter is “I approached each day with childlike joy.” What I’m learning about the whole January letter process and experience is how some things are a slow burn, and others happen pretty quickly. Listening to myself read it each day helps me to visualize the different things I’ve written. I haven’t been experiencing childlike joy each day, but the letter reminds me that I want to.

I really enjoyed Avengers Infinity War and even though I saw it on Thursday, I wanted to see it again. I’ve been watching videos about it, reading theories, getting comics related to a certain character, etc. I love immersing myself into something like this. Much like trying to find tickets on Thursday, it was hard to find some yesterday. I could have waited and gone again during the week, but I wanted to focus on work. So I knew it made sense to see it on the weekend.

I ended up finding what I thought was a decent seat, but it was a DBOX seat. I had never seen a movie in DBOX but figured if any movie was worth it, this one was. Basically, DBOX is an experience where your chair moves with the action. When I arrived and found my seat, I discovered it was a little closer to the screen than I’d like, but it wasn’t too bad.

Oh friends, I LOVED watching it in DBOX. I highly recommend you try it out. I spent a good deal of the movie with a big grin on my face and mouth open in sheer joy. The first time it moved was during a preview for Jurassic World. So. Flippin. Cool.

While past Jen would’ve been like, oh man, I can’t spent all this money, I can’t take this much time away from work, I can’t, I can’t, I can’t. But current Jen is growing in how she experiences the world, and is trying to stay away from feeling guilty about things. So, I drove with the window down in our new car, with Thrice pumping through the speakers, enjoying the beautiful day. I drank in the experience. There are things I want in my life and being able to go to the movies regularly is one of them.

I hope you can experience childlike joy today. If you let it, it can change your life.

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Did you like what you read? Here’s some ways you can support us and this blog!
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Check out our resources page.
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Day 3214 – Reading Challenges Update

I was gathering my thoughts on what to write this morning, and thought, oh hey, I haven’t done a reading challenge update in a while….turns out I haven’t updated since February. Whew doggie, I have a lot to update. I finally added some new shelves for each reading challenge on my Goodreads account. Given that I have so many to share with y’all, you’re just getting titles today! ๐Ÿ˜€

As you’re looking through and see a book you want to buy, please use my Amazon shopping link. This will give us a small percentage of what you order at no additional cost to you. It’s a super small percentage too, so just think of it as funding out Krispy Kreme doughnut runs. Or if all y’all buy, a road trip!

Links to all of the reading challenges are below.

Book #24 – My Friend Fear: Finding Magic in the Unknown – this fulfilled a memoir or biography about a person who doesnโ€™t look like you on the #bewellread challenge.

Book #25 – Chasing Light: Michelle Obama Through the Lens of a White House Photographer – this fulfilled a book with a weather element in the title in the Popsugar Reading Challenge.

Book #26 – The Edge of the World: A Visual Adventure to the Most Extraordinary Places on Earth – this fulfilled a book set in a country you want to visit in the The Mommy Mannegren 52 Books in 52 Weeks Challenge.

Book #27 – Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince – this fulfilled a book you borrowed or that was given to you as a gift in the Popsugar Reading Challenge.

Book #28 – Edible Ensembles: A Fashion Feast for the Eyes, from Banana Peel Jumpsuits to Kale Frocks – this fulfilled a book that’s published in 2018 in the Popsugar Reading Challenge.

Book #29 – The Color of Pixar – this fulfilled a book chosen solely by its cover in the The Mommy Mannegren 52 Books in 52 Weeks Challenge.

Book #30 – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – this fulfilled a book with over 600 pages in the The Mommy Mannegren 52 Books in 52 Weeks Challenge.

Book #31 – Rover: Wagmore Edition – this fulfilled a book with non-human characters in the The Mommy Mannegren 52 Books in 52 Weeks Challenge.

Book #32 – Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts 1 & 2 – this fulfilled a book that is a stage play or musical in the Popsugar Reading Challenge.

Book #33 – The Book Thief – this fulfilled a book that’s more than 500 pages in the Modern Mrs. Darcy Reading Challenge.

Book #34 – Where’d You Go, Bernadette – this fulfilled a book set in a country that fascinates you in the Popsugar Reading Challenge. This was so fun to read, since I work for Lori Gross of The Antarctic Experience. I enjoyed it so much, that I made her read it too. ๐Ÿ™‚

Book #35 – Great Lies to Tell Small Kids – this fulfilled a book with a six word title in the The Mommy Mannegren 52 Books in 52 Weeks Challenge.

Book #36 – Loads More Lies To Tell Small Kids – this didn’t fit in any of my challenges, but was super funny.

Book #37 – Sober Mercies: How Love Caught Up with a Christian Drunk – this fulfilled a book about mental health in the Popsugar Reading Challenge. This was such a great book about alcoholism and being a Christian too. I’ve tried to read memoirs about alcoholism for inspiration for my memoir, but none of them really stuck, this one did.

Book #38 – DROPKICKromance – this fulfilled a book recommended by someone with great taste in the Modern Mrs. Darcy Reading Challenge.

Book #39 – The Witch Doesn’t Burn In This One – this fulfilled a book by a favorite author in the Modern Mrs. Darcy Reading Challenge.

Book #40 – T-Rex Trying and Trying: The Unfortunate Trials of a Modern Prehistoric Family – this didn’t fit in any challenge.

Book #41 – Poorly Drawn Lines: Good Ideas and Amazing Stories – this didn’t fit in any challenge.

Book #42 – Random Illustrated Facts: A Collection of Curious, Weird, and Totally Not Boring Things to Know – this didn’t fit in any challenge.

Book #43 – Uglies – this fulfilled the first book in a trilogy in the The Mommy Mannegren 52 Books in 52 Weeks Challenge.

Book #44 – Let’s Get Visible: How To Get Noticed And Sell More Books – this fulfilled an e-book in the The Mommy Mannegren 52 Books in 52 Weeks Challenge.

Book #45 – Pretties – this fulfilled a science fiction novel in the The Mommy Mannegren 52 Books in 52 Weeks Challenge.

Book #46 – Specials (Uglies, #3) – this fulfilled a book with a one-word title in the #bewellread challenge.

Book #47 – Peter Pan – this fulfilled a classic you’ve been meaning to read in the Modern Mrs. Darcy Reading Challenge.

Book #48 – @NatGeo: The Most Popular Instagram Photos – this fulfilled a book about nature in the Read Harder Challenge.

Book #49 – Let Me Lie – this fulfilled a book about death or grief in the Popsugar Reading Challenge.

Book #50 – Can Somebody Please Scratch My Back? – this didn’t fit in any challenge, but I had to read it cus it was illustrated by one of my fav illustrators, Liz Climo.

Book #51 – Every Note Played – this fulfilled a book published in 2018 in the The Mommy Mannegren 52 Books in 52 Weeks Challenge.

Book #52 – Everything, Everything – this fulfilled a book that’s been on the New York Times Bestseller for more than 10 weeks in the The Mommy Mannegren 52 Books in 52 Weeks Challenge.

Book #53 – Herding Cats – this fulfilled a book about a topic you’re passionate about in the The Mommy Mannegren 52 Books in 52 Weeks Challenge.

Book #54 – What’s It Like in Space?: Stories from Astronauts Who’ve Been There – this fulfilled a book recommended by a librarian in the The Mommy Mannegren 52 Books in 52 Weeks Challenge.

Book #55 – Creative Pep Talk: Inspiration from 50 Artists – this fulfilled a memoir, biography, or a book of creative nonfiction in the Modern Mrs. Darcy Reading Challenge.

Book #56 – Afterworlds – this fulfilled a book with characters who are twins in the Popsugar Reading Challenge.

Book #57 – The Spark and the Grind: Ignite the Power of Disciplined Creativity – this fulfilled a book already in your bookshelf in the The Mommy Mannegren 52 Books in 52 Weeks Challenge.

Book #58 – The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain – this fulfilled a historical non-fiction book in the The Mommy Mannegren 52 Books in 52 Weeks Challenge.

Book #59 – Take Me with You – this fulfilled a book recommended by a librarian or indie bookseller in the Modern Mrs. Darcy Reading Challenge.

Book #60 – You Are a Badass at Making Money: Master the Mindset of Wealth – this fulfilled a book by an author with the same first or last name as you in the Popsugar Reading Challenge.

Book #61 – Amazing Fantastic Incredible: A Marvelous Memoir – this fulfilled a memoir or biography about a person who doesnโ€™t look like you. This was a fantastic graphic novel about Stan Lee. If you’re into comics, check this bad boy out.

Book #62 – Tribe of Mentors: Short Life Advice from the Best in the World – this fulfilled a book with a cover you hate in the Read Harder Challenge. I have to say, this might be one of the best books I’ve read this year. I love Tim Ferris and everything he puts out. I highly recommend this book, if you want to pick up a copy, use this link, it will give us a little percentage.

Book #63 – You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life – this fulfilled your favorite prompt from the 2015, 2016, or 2017 Popsugar Reading Challenges in the Popsugar Reading Challenge. I picked a book with a subtitle.

Links to all of the reading challenges:
The 2018 Modern Mrs. Darcy Reading Challenge
The 2018 #BWELLREAD Reading Challenge
The 2018 Popsugar Reading Challenge
The 2018 Read Harder Challenge
The Mommy Mannegren 52 Books in 52 Weeks Challenge

Again, if you want to check out and buy any of these books, please use my Amazon shopping link. This will give us a small percentage of what you order, and it encourages me to write super long book posts like this. ๐Ÿ˜€

Here are my current stats:
Books read – 63
Pages read – 16,024
2018 Modern Mrs. Darcy Reading Challenge – 8/12
The 2018 #BWELLREAD Reading Challenge – 4/12
The 2018 Popsugar Reading Challenge – 18/50
The 2018 Read Harder Challenge – 4/24
The Mommy Mannegren 52 Books in 52 Weeks Challenge – 22/52

I’ve learned a lot about myself, my businesses, how to view the world, and childlike wonder about things through my readings. You might be thinking, “holy crap, does she do ANYTHING but read?” But here’s the thing. I don’t feel like I read that much. I read out of three books in the morning for about 15-30 minutes as part of my morning routine. I might read a fiction book during the day, if I’m really into it. I’ll listen to audiobooks while I drive. I’ve started to listen to audiobooks in the evenings when I’m playing games on my phone. THIS is a game changer right here. I knocked out book #63 SO fast because of this new habit. Depending on the day and my brain capacity for more information, I’ll spend an hour or two reading at the end of my work day and evening. Since we don’t watch TV and have little to care for in our home, we have more time to focus on things like this. One thing I’m working on this year is ruthlessly saying no to things so I can say “oh heck yea” like Jenna Marbles for the precious few. Reading gives me wings (no Red Bull needed). It shows me worlds and personalities and thoughts I wouldn’t have experienced on my own. It gives inspiration to my blog, my books, my social media posts, and my life. It shows me what is possible. Having reading challenges to do also pushes me to expand my scope even more. I hope that this post gives you even a taste for reading and opens your eyes to what’s possible. And that you really do have time to read.

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Did you like what you read? Here’s some ways you can support us and this blog!
Join our Facebook group, Planning an Epic Road Trip on Any Budget
Join the Journey With The G’s email list (bonus – you get my Epic Road Trip Budget spreadsheet)
Buy my book, Planning an Epic Road Trip on any Budget
Buy my book, Trusting God With 2 Cents: 22 Days To Becoming A Successful Christian Business Owner.
Shop on Amazon (no additional cost to you, this gives us a percentage of what you order).
Check out our resources page.
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Day 3213 – Cubicle Day Thoughts

I have been a freelancer for 2,423 days. I’ve really only had one office job where I had a cubicle, but it was enough to completely sour me to cubicles. Oy. Now, it’s was probably more a matter of me being in a job I didn’t love and didn’t let me thrive than being a bad job. Like anything in life, my worst job is someone’s best job. But a cubicle life is not for me.

When I first started working freelance, I was running a wedding photography business. My income was ok, but nearly as good as my 9-5 job. Even now, I know I am making much less than I am worth. But, I am taking steps to learn more so I can earn more. It wasn’t until recently that I realized I had a deep set belief that I was not worth more. While in some respects, I was completely surprised by this realization. In others though, it was obvious – one only had to look at my bank account to see I did not value myself like I should.

But that right there is one of the biggest things I’ve learned over the years – all of it is a process. You grow, you change, you take ten steps back, you learn more, you take 100 steps forward, then you fall down the stairs. But you just keep going. I can look back and see that if I wasn’t freelancing right now, I wouldn’t have been able to help with our real estate business as much as I have been. Given the fact that we’re sharing a car and Bret has a day job, I can be the one to run errands, and he doesn’t have to take off.

While there is a part of me that misses having a fully stocked office supplies closet, I am so thankful that on most days, my cubicle is wherever I am.

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Did you like what you read? Here’s some ways you can support us and this blog!
Join our Facebook group, Planning an Epic Road Trip on Any Budget
Join the Journey With The G’s email list (bonus – you get my Epic Road Trip Budget spreadsheet)
Buy my book, Planning an Epic Road Trip on any Budget
Buy my book, Trusting God With 2 Cents: 22 Days To Becoming A Successful Christian Business Owner.
Shop on Amazon (no additional cost to you, this gives us a percentage of what you order).
Check out our resources page.
Subscribe to our YouTube Channel

Day 3212 – Learning From Past Mistakes – or – Avengers Infinity War Thoughts (No Spoilers)

This morning, I overslept about three hours. It brought back memories of when I would sleep in because I was sleeping off a hangover. I would emerge into my day feeling SO far behind, and I really was. Sometimes I think what my life would be like if I never struggled with alcoholism. Would I have been more successful in photography? Would I have written more books? Would I have gotten out of debt faster? Would I have been in debt at all?

I was thinking about this as I had my first cup of coffee, I thought about how this morning I wasn’t sleeping off a hangover. I didn’t “oversleep” normal people wake up times. To me, sleeping until 8 a.m. is WAY oversleeping. (I seriously love getting up at five) But I am so thankful that the reason for my sleeping in was not alcohol, but a movie.

Yesterday, I realized I HAD to see Avengers Infinity War that day. I watch a ton of theory videos on YouTube, so my feed is full of channels that could potentially spoil the movie for me. That and I read some tweets after the press screening and one in particular was along the lines of “go in as spoiler free as you can.” Having seen it, I definitely agree. It is quite an experience and you want to have that as fresh of a slate as you can get. It was epic in its scope and very gratifying. My review? Go see it. ๐Ÿ™‚

Typically with a movie like this (Marvel or Star Wars, etc), I like to see it the first time in 2D to really process what I’m seeing. Then I’ll watch theory videos, maybe read some books, and go back to experience it in 3D. Unfortunately for my brain, the only tickets I could find…and I searched every showtime at seven theaters until I finally found good seats….were in 3D. While if I had fully thought things through, I would have expected this, but I walked out of the theater with a migraine. So. Much. Data. Brain. Full.

So, I let myself sleep in this morning.

I am still processing the movie and surely will for a while.

So what was the past mistake? It was seeing a big movie without Bret the first time. In mid December, I saw The Last Jedi by myself and Bret waited until after Christmas to watch it in California. What followed was me watching videos with headphones in and making comments like “I cannot wait to talk to you about this!!!” That was a tortuous few weeks.

I mentioned to Bret yesterday that I really wanted to go. We talked about just me going or Bret coming along if I found good tickets. When I finally found some, he agreed to go. Later, he told me the main reason was so that we could talk about it. Even if we waited to watch it together today or tomorrow, I would still be in that position of knowing what he did not. I have to say, I really enjoyed experiencing it with Bret.

So go see it, learn from your past mistakes, and please, please, please, don’t spoil it for anyone! ๐Ÿ˜€

(note, this is from Black Panther, lol, I was too excited to take pictures last night).

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Did you like what you read? Here’s some ways you can support us and this blog!
Join our Facebook group, Planning an Epic Road Trip on Any Budget
Join the Journey With The G’s email list (bonus – you get my Epic Road Trip Budget spreadsheet)
Buy my book, Planning an Epic Road Trip on any Budget
Buy my book, Trusting God With 2 Cents: 22 Days To Becoming A Successful Christian Business Owner.
Shop on Amazon (no additional cost to you, this gives us a percentage of what you order).
Check out our resources page.
Subscribe to our YouTube Channel