I have been enjoying visiting blogs and decided to start my own, even though I don't know what I am doing or if anyone will even be interested in reading what I have to say. I am a 50 year old management consultant who has been married to the the love of my life for 30 years and have two grown daughters and a son-in-law who we are very proud of. We are blessed to live in Scottsdale Arizona and are enjoying getting out and experiencing it in our RV! Thanks for stopping by our blog and please consider joining us, who knows where we will go...Kevin & Tracy.

Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Happy New Year!

Boy what a year its been with its many ups and downs, victories and challenges, joys and sorrows, but we have sure enjoyed being able to share the year with all of you. 

We have enjoyed your adventures and we hope that you have enjoyed ours as well.  We are looking forward to many blessings in 2015 and we hope the same for you and yours!

We were supposed to be camping at McDowell Mountain Regional Park to ring in the New Year, but decided to hunker down at home, watch some movies, enjoy the fireplace and avoid the cold and rain.  As I write this post, the rain is pouring off the roof and it is 46 degrees outside, confirming our tough decision, which is never easy to make, because we love to get away. 

So we will ring in the New Year here and we will pray for and work toward achieving good health, happiness, prosperity and much joy in 2015! Wishing the same for you, safe travels and thanks for stopping by.

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Merry Christmas!

Huge Tree on Mill Ave. Tempe
After the many weeks of preparation, it is hard to believe that Christmas is finally here.  It is our hope and prayer that you and your families have a very Merry Christmas! Enjoy.

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Traditions!

Sure has been nice having Sarah home from school this week, even though her work schedule has limited our time together.  She had another fantastic semester at ASU with a 4.17 grade point average and she will finish up with six more classes starting in January with graduation in May.  I am amazed at how smart our girls are, so glad that they got their Mom's smarts.

As we get closer to the big day, it wouldn't be Christmas without some Christmas cookies.  My Mom was the baker in our family and it always smelled of cookies, brown raisin bread and candy around our house this time of year.  My Mom would bake over twenty loaves of brown raisin bread for family members and friends, sure do miss that.

Sarah and I decided to keep the tradition going by making some Christmas cookies yesterday morning.  We broke out my Mom's cookie press and we made two of our favorites, sugar cookies and Holiday Nuggets. 

Mom's Cookie Press
I was amazed at how quickly we made six dozen cookies and it sure smelled wonderful in the kitchen too.

















Good Cookies!
Sure great to keep these traditions going and now we have to find someone to give all these tasty cookies to or I will have to up my walking to 15,000 steps per day. :-)

Well it is time to head off to the store to buy all of the good stuff for breakfast Christmas morning.  I hope you are all enjoying your Holiday traditions and I hope that you have a very Merry Christmas and Happy and Healthy New Year!

Sunday, December 21, 2014

We're Debt Free!

We have been following Dave Ramsey for the last three or so years and wish we would have found him twenty years ago.  I have listened to many couples either call into Dave’s radio show or visit him in person to share their debt free screams.  I have to admit that I get a lump in my throat and become a little misty eyed when I hear people share their accomplishments. 

Many people share the mental change they have made identifying “needs” versus “wants”, naming every dollar by creating budgets, holding budget meetings and becoming gazelle intense to accomplish their goal of not being a slave to a lender. 

Well I have to admit that Tracy has always been the saver and I have always been the spender in our family.  My spending temptation has always been cars and Tracy and I counted 20 of them in the last 32 years that I just had to have.  My thought was that if I could afford the minimum payment, I could afford the car….wrong!

I know that many of you reading this post are debt free as well and that is what attracts me to the RV lifestyle in particular. Not having a lot of stuff and only having those things which a person absolutely needs is a great way to live, especially to those of us who desire to yell that we are debt free.

Dave Ramsey walks followers through a series of seven “Baby Steps” which enable people to acquire their emergency fund, pay off debt using the Debt Snowball, save 3 to 6 months of expenses, invest 15% for retirement, fund their children’s education, pay off their house and live and give like no one else.

We started this process over three years ago and through God's blessings, I am happy to report that we too are debt free.  I would like to say that it was easy or that we found a shortcut to Dave’s process, but I can’t.  What I can say is that although we have sacrificed significantly over the last three years, Dave’s Baby Steps really work, I just wish that we had found them twenty years earlier. 

When Tracy and I went into our local credit union to pay off our home mortgage 16 years early, the teller said that no one had ever done that in his four years of employment and he wasn’t sure what to do.  We were glad that with a few phone calls that he figured it out and we were off to lunch to celebrate the accomplishment of our goal!

So although we won’t be joining those who shout “we are debt free” standing just outside Dave’s radio studio in Brentwood Tennessee, we will  be celebrating our new freedom by working on Baby Step Seven so that we can live and give like no one else in 2015 and beyond!

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Burr Cold!

Tracy and I spent the weekend at McDowell Mountain Regional Park and although it was fun to be away, it was cold!
 
There was no burning allowed this weekend, so no S'mores :( for us. We were able to get some hiking in before the second, unexpected storm blew in quickly on Saturday afternoon.  The temps dropped 15 degrees and we could see snow on the distant mountains...burr!

It sure has been nice working on my many long term projects and getting ready for Christmas over the last nine weeks since my company sold, but I am going to have to get after my new career after the new year.

Sure have been enjoying following all of your adventures, hope your holiday preparations have been great, that your holidays are wonderful and thanks for stopping by.

Calm before the storm!

Here comes the storm, burr!

Nice hike

Can't beat the sunsets