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Week 38: NYC Trip Part 2 + what I’m reading, listening to, and watching

Week 38: NYC Trip Part 2 + what I’m reading, listening to, and watching

Last week I shared about day 1 of my trip to NYC with Kaitlynn to celebrate her recent graduation! If you missed it, last week’s post includes details about our fun first day and my advice for traveling to NYC on a budget.

And now for day 2! Kaitlynn and I slept in after our late night at the show, had a leisurely morning, and then took the subway to the West Village.

First up, we visited Bagel Pub – they had an incredible array of fresh made bagels and a plethora of cream cheese options. Kaitlynn got an egg and cheese bagel sandwich and I got a protein bagel sandwich – turkey, Swiss cheese, egg white on a whole wheat bagel. They were fantastic!!

Next up, we walked to C.O. Bigelow — a famous Apothecary that has all sorts of unique brands, some that are rare to find in the US. Unlike so many other places we had been on the trip, everything felt very over-priced. So we didn’t end up buying anything.

We capped off our time in the West Village with coffee at Blank Street Coffee @blankstreetcoffee — I mean, Kaitlynn totally matched the restaurant so we couldn’t help checking it out! But we were so impressed with it. I got a decaf latte but Kaitlynn got a Harvest Chai Latte — it had sweet potato jam in it! And she said it was SO good! It looked beautiful! I took a sip of it and it tasted like it was all made in-house with high quality ingredients!

We sat at coffee and talked about life and her future and her new job and budgeting — and before we knew it, it was time to head back to the hotel to grab our suitcases and get to the airport.

I am so thankful that Kaitlynn and I got to have this special getaway! It was the perfect amount of time away to do so much but not feel rushed! And we made so many memories that we will carry with us for a long time!

Happy 46th birthday to the man I met at age 9 (he was 10 then!), fell in love with as a teen, married at age 21, have raised 6 babies with (+ cared for two more bonus babies with!), and have been the wife of for almost 24 years!!

Jesse, next to my salvation, saying yes to marry you was the best decision I ever made. We had no idea the adventures God had in store for our future — and the many challenges along the way — when we said “I do!”, but what a gift to be on this journey together!

You are truly one of the most selfless people I’ve ever known. Like one of our kids said recently to me, “Dad would do anything for you!” And it’s true!

As I looked through pictures of this past year, I was struck by how they pretty much all involved you caring for someone, helping someone, or sacrificing for someone. You truly lay down your life for your family every single day!

Thank you for all the wonderful memories from this past year — including an overnight getaway in a domed yurt on the river, all the trips for baseball games and family events, the fun date nights, the middle-of-the-night conversations, the dreaming of our future together, the laughter and constant teasing, a colonoscopy, two graduations, watching you face your fears at the CrossFit competition, and getting to walk together with our older kids and care for our younger kids.

I love you so much and am so thankful to be married to my very best friend. You are incredible and I’d marry you all over again.

(One of the things Jesse wanted to do for his birthday was to go get the handicap placard for our car — something we had been wanting to get for when we are in really big parking lots or at a big event or if David is having a hard day.)

Here’s yet another way Jesse cares for me — last Sunday, I was feeling really overwhelmed. Launching my book, running the business and entering quarter 4, caring for 6 kids (sometimes 7!), and potentially moving sso getting my house ready to go on the market… phew! It’s all a lot. There was SO much in my head and I was telling Jesse that the weight of all the mental things that I feel like I should do, need to do, want to do… it was all feeling heavy.

So Jesse suggested I write out everything in my head that was weighing me down, and he stood there with me as I did it — he’s such a good man! — and once I did that, he said, “Okay, I’m going to help you figure out some systems.”

Being the researcher he is, he started researching what can help and asked me what I thought would help. I said I had researched some chore apps, the Skylight digital calendar, knock-off Skylights… I told him I’m just trying to find a system that can keep track of all the things, especially when it comes to our home, chores, kids’ chores, kids’ activities, and more. I just want some systems so it’s not just whatever feels most urgent and pressing, but helps me focus on what’s most important. And, I want a central place to collect all those random things that pop up — lightbulbs! laundry! toilet paper!

So he did all the research and came to me and said he really thought the best option was a Skylight calendar. (This is the one we got.) I couldn’t believe it — I thought they were so gimmicky and I was cynical about them for the last two years. But, y’all, I’m so excited!!!

I’ll keep you posted as we set it up and use it! In the meantime, if you have one of these, send me all your best advice for making the most of it!

Money can be one of the hardest things to talk about in a marriage — which is exactly why I’m so excited about this pre-order bonus for The 7 Habits of Financially Healthy Women!

When you pre-order from any retailer, you are eligible to claim an incredible collection of exclusive pre-order bonuses — including the Couples’ Guide to Healthy Money Conversations.

Jesse and I have learned over the years just how important it is to talk openly and honestly about money even when those conversations aren’t always easy. Learning how to listen well, understand where the other person is coming from, and work toward shared goals has made such a difference for us.

This practical guide is designed to help you do the same, with simple prompts and tools to help you start meaningful conversations, better understand each other, and work together toward a healthier financial future.

And your pre-order makes you eligible to claim all the bonuses released so far and every new bonus still to come before the book launches! Check them out below!

Pre-order your copy + claim your bonuses here!

Amazon Prime Big Deal Days: Coming Soon!

Amazon Prime Big Deal Days has officially been announced for October 6th and 7th! Want to know how to get the best deals? In this post, we share our top tips for saving money and scoring great deals on Amazon Prime Big Deal Days!

If you aren’t a Prime member but considering becoming one, this post explores the question: “Is Amazon Prime worth it?”and has a link for a FREE 30-day trial, just in time for Prime Days!

**This Week on The Crystal Paine Show: My Trip to Guatemala**

Tune in this week as Jesse and I talk all about my recent trip to Guatemala! I have alluded to this trip to Guatemala in a few earlier episodes, but I am so excited to finally sit down with Jesse and share more of the story.

This was truly a bucket list trip for me. Ever since we adopted David, I have wanted to visit Guatemala to learn more about his culture and history and to better understand what his mom experienced growing up there. I never imagined the opportunity would just fall into my lap the way that it did.

In this episode, I am sharing some of the things that I learned on my trip, the people I met, and the moments that really stayed with me. I had the privilege of spending time with women from a remote village, many of whom work incredibly hard just to provide for their families.

We came with some ideas of what we would do together, but we quickly learned that we needed to be flexible and willing to listen. That sometimes meant playing games, coloring, making tamalitos, or simply sitting down and asking a woman about her day.

One of the most meaningful parts of the trip for me, though, was seeing how much these women had to share once they felt comfortable. We didn’t speak the same language, but we found that there were so many things we could communicate without words. We laughed together, prayed together, and heard stories of hardship, perseverance, and faith.

I also talk about the differences between the communities we visited, the challenges facing local schools, and some of the things that surprised me about Guatemala, including how beautiful and peaceful it was, and, of course, I have to tell you about the food!

This trip really gave me a much deeper appreciation for David’s birth mother and all that she has been through. I hope that you enjoy hearing about it as much as I enjoyed getting to experience it! As always, please feel free to reach out with your questions and/or thoughts!

Listen to the episode here.

What I’m Reading…

This week, I finished reading Take My Hand and I would highly recommend it. Not only is it a well-written story, but you will likely learn some parts of history that you’ve not heard of and that will likely rend your heart in two, but it’s such an important thing for us to understand and be aware of.

What I’m currently reading: Lady Tan’s Circle of Women, Holy & Hormonal, Every Table an Altar, Calming Your Anxious Child, and This Moment Matters.

What I’m Watching…

This week, Jesse and I went to the theater and watched Runner (there’s a lot of action and intense scenes and a little language, but we enjoyed it – the perfect mix of action, humor, and depth!). Kaitlynn and I also started watching the newest season of Dancing With the Stars.

What I’m Listening to…

I finished listening to The Girl Behind the Wall and really enjoyed it. It made me think about a lot of things related to the Berlin wall that I’ve never thought of before and how hard and challenging it would have been for people.

I’m now halfway through The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion: Volume 2. I am enjoying this series!

In Case You Missed It — Links from Recent Weeks:

Cheesy Baked Tortellini with Green Bean Fries ($10 Family Dinner Idea) — If you love lasagna or spaghetti bakes, this Baked Tortellini is an easier twist on those recipes! Even better, including the baking time, it was finished in less than an hour.
Ask Crystal: Which Budgeting App is Best? — If you’ve ever downloaded a budgeting app, poked around for 10 minutes, and felt overwhelmed… you’re definitely not alone. I hear this from readers all the time: “I know budgeting would help, but I don’t know which is the best budgeting app that is actually worth my time.” So in this post I’m breaking down how EveryDollar, YNAB, and RocketMoney compare, so you can choose the one that makes the most sense for your family.
Looking for the Best App for Weight Loss? Why Nourish Offers More Than Tracking — Most weight loss apps help you count calories, track macros, log workouts, or watch the number on the scale. Those tools can be helpful, but knowing what to do doesn’t always make it easier to actually do it, or to figure out what your body needs. That’s what makes Nourish different. This app combines helpful tracking tools with personalized, one-on-one support from a registered dietician to help you understand what your body needs and build habits you can actually sustain… and, it usually costs $0 with insurance! Read this post for all the details.
Habits of Financially Fit Women — What if getting better with money didn’t require a massive overhaul, but a few small, intentional habits? Listen to this podcast episode I recorded with Erin on the Simple, Purposeful Life as we discuss simple ways to become more intentional with your money, from creating rhythms around budgeting to finding contentment with what you already have. I think you’ll leave feeling empowered and encouraged!
Building Healthy Money Habits While Raising Kids — Money stress can shape the atmosphere of your home and the lessons your kids carry into adulthood. When parents feel overwhelmed financially, it’s easy to assume that more income is the only solution; however, relief often begins with small, intentional choices that lead to healthy money habits. On this episode of Faith & Finance, Rob West and I discuss managing money while raising kids.