In Honor Of Mom

My mom was a master at budgeting. She used the cash envelope system, and kept meticulous records of their finances, even down to the penny. She kept her cash category money in zip loc bags tucked inside of bank bags. We all thought she was pretty cute with her zip loc bags full of cash. I remember one friend (or was it one of my aunts?) giggling because there was Mom at a nice restaurant, dressed in her classy "out to dinner" clothes, pulling out several zip loc bags with cash in them to find the "entertainment" money to pay for dinner. Hee! Hee! She was pretty cute that way.

One of the funny things about Mom and her cash stash, was that often she would misplace one of her zip locs full of cash. I remember her finding cash stashes in all manner of places, from the laundry room to the attic. They had fallen victim to the "company's coming and there's too much to do so I'll toss these stacks of papers in a bag and hide them" occasions. :) One time she couldn't find her bank bag full of zip loc cash bags. She found it some time later in a kitchen cupboard. What a happy surprise to find a bunch of cash that had been all but forgotten! :)

A couple of days after Mom died, Dad and the rest of the family were cleaning out the closet of some of Mom's things. What do you suppose we found? A bank bag with cash in it, tucked in a shopping bag with some magazines and other paper things. :) We chuckled because it was so "mom". There was quite a bit of cash in that bag, and the following Christmas, Dad divided the money up and gave it to us kids - in bank bags. :) What a fun and special gift! (Thanks, Dad! :) )

Before Mom got sick, she and dad were dreaming up and beginning to make plans to take their kids and grandkids to Disneyland, or on a Disney cruise, or some such adventure. So I took my bank bag of cash and began to stash. I'm saving up to take the family to Disneyland, or Disney World, depending on how fast I can save up, in some way fulfilling that desire of her's. I decided that I would tuck the bank bag in a secret spot (in an undisclosed location, should any of you decide you want to find my cash stash! :) ) For three years now, I have been tucking away the money I earn cleaning Dad's and Mary's house, and my aunt's house. From time to time I have to use that money for other things, like shoes for all the kids, or Christmas gifts, or unplanned expenses, or things like that, but for the most part, into the Disney fund it goes. I have quite a little stash built up, but it's slow going. I'm hoping to have enough finally saved up by next Fall to take our trip. And it will be paid for with air miles, gifted Worldmark hotel stays, and my "very much like Mom's" stash of cash. How fitting, eh? Cash saved up in a bank bag, tucked in a secret spot (though not lost!), and a trip she would have loved to go on.

Keeping the dream alive for you, Mom. :) Miss your cuteness. :)

(On a side note, another thing my mom loved was to work a puzzle during Christmas break, or sometime during the winter months. We did a Thomas Kinkaid puzzle with her the winter she discovered she was sick. So this winter, in honor of Mom, I bought a Thomas Kinkaid puzzle, and am slowly putting it together. I'm not as big of a puzzle fan as Mom was, but it's fun, and a challenge. I love how each of my family members pops by the puzzle now and then to try to fit a few pieces together. :) And the other night, Reid and I spent the evening working on it together. It was a peaceful evening. )