Grocery shopping with shopping 🛍️

 

Sunday Fun Day: Coffee, Shopping, Laughter & a 95!

There are just some Sundays that seem to hit a little differently, and my Sunday Fun Days with my best friend Cherrie are definitely some of those days! ❤️

 This morning Cherrie pulled up to my house around 9:30,  and we were ready to get our day started. Our first stop? Scooter’s in Chickasha, Oklahoma, of course! Because really, can two best friends start a Sunday Fun Day without coffee? I think not. 😂

I ordered the Maple Delicious, and Cherrie got the Caramelicious. Coffee in hand, we were ready to hit the road and head toward Norman.

A Surprisingly Successful Shopping Day

One of the nice things about this particular grocery-shopping day was that my list wasn’t nearly as long as it normally is.

Mr. C has been using Walmart delivery lately, and let me tell you—it really does make a difference! He had already had several cases of water delivered, along with some bulk items and about four 12-packs of drinks. He also ordered some of our household necessities, including toilet paper, paper towels, bathroom cleaner, bleach, and laundry soap.

That took quite a few things off my grocery list, which meant I could concentrate on what we actually needed.

And let me just say…I stayed on budget!

My grocery budget this month was $375, which is actually less than what I normally have to work with. I usually find a way to go over by $50 or even $100. If we need something, we need it, and I’ll make it work.

But this time?

I came in at approximately $351!

I was pretty proud of myself. That’s a grocery-shopping victory in my book! 🛒🎉

And Then We Did Something Unheard Of…

We went to Norman, and for perhaps the first time in forever, neither one of us needed anything from Ollie’s!

If you know Cherrie, you know that Ollie’s is basically her go-to destination for coffee pods and laundry detergent. But she was good this time. I didn’t need anything either.

So we actually passed right by Ollie’s.

I know.

Who ARE we? 😂

Instead, we headed over to TJ Maxx.

I found a basket that I’m planning to use for a Christmas drink-and-treat package for our Dirty Santa gift. Luther wanted to take that route, so I’ll probably start gathering what I need sometime in November. I’m trying not to get too far ahead of myself because, well…we all know how that goes!

Then we went into Burlington, where I picked up two new towels for the bathroom and some house spray because I love having the house smell good.

Ross was next, but honestly, I didn’t really find anything I needed there.

And that’s okay!

Sometimes you can walk into a store, look around, and walk right back out without spending money. That’s actually a skill I’m learning. 😂

Let’s Talk Dirty Santa

While we’re on the subject of gifts, I’ve also been thinking about what I want to do for Dirty Santa.

Brody and Savannah, along with Charles and Elizabeth, are all going on a cruise in May. I’m debating between putting together a fun little cruise-themed gift basket or getting an inexpensive piece of luggage.

I’m leaning toward the luggage because I think Brody and Savannah could probably use some.

If I do go that route, I’ll definitely look for something in a neutral color so it’s useful for just about anybody. I’m actually thinking about ordering it this week, getting it wrapped, and putting it away until we need it.

Yes, I’m planning ahead.

Who am I? 😂

Mexican Food & Queso…Because Obviously

After all that shopping, we worked up an appetite.

We stopped at Ted’s Mexican Restaurant, which is always a good idea. I had the pork street tacos, and they were delicious!

But let’s be honest.

The real star of the show for me was the queso and chips.

I LOVE their queso. ❤️

There is just something about sitting down with your best friend, eating good food, drinking something yummy, and talking about everything and absolutely nothing at the same time.

That’s the good stuff.

Then Came the Grocery Store Challenge

After lunch, we headed over to Crest, and I have to say, I was impressed with myself.

I was probably in there for an hour and a half, maybe even less, and I whipped through that grocery list!

I found everything I needed, picked up a few things that weren’t technically on the list—which is basically a requirement of grocery shopping—and still managed to stay under my $375 budget.

$351.

I’ll take it!

But the Best Part Wasn’t the Shopping

Honestly, the shopping wasn’t even the best part of the day.

The best part was simply spending the day with Cherrie.

There was laughter.

There were complaints.

There was coffee.

There was shopping.

There was Mexican food.

There was probably a little bit of “Do we really need that?” followed by “Well…maybe.” 😂

And there was just that comfortable kind of friendship where you can spend an entire day together, laugh until your stomach hurts, complain about whatever is bothering you, wander through stores, eat good food, and just enjoy being together.

Those are the days I treasure.

Before we headed home, I made one more stop at Burger King to pick up Luther his dinner.

Because after a full Sunday Fun Day, the man deserved some dinner too!

And One More Little Victory…

I can’t finish this post without mentioning something else I’m pretty excited about.

I FINISHED MY CREDIT COUNSELING! 🎉🎉🎉

And remember how I told you I had to make at least a 70 on the test?

Well…

I MADE A 95!

NINETY-FIVE!

I was so stinkin’ excited when I saw that score. I knew I could pass it, but getting a 95 felt like a little extra pat on the back.

With everything I’m working through financially right now, finishing the credit counseling and doing well on that test felt like another step forward.

One more thing checked off the list.

One more little victory.

And maybe that’s what this Sunday Fun Day was really about.

It wasn’t just about groceries or shopping or coffee.

It was about small victories, good friends, laughter, and making progress—even when life feels a little complicated.

I’ll take a Sunday like that any day of the week.

Thanks for stopping by! Have a great day, and I’ll see you next time! ❤️

Karen

In Spotlight At Work

At work I was nominated or be featured in our monthly newsletter. I was asked to tell a few unique things about me that others might not know about me. Felt like this was a good summary about me. The one thing I feel like I left out was mentioning how much my husband means to me.  Wanted to share what I sent over to the editors. 

🌟 Employee Spotlight: Getting to Know Karen

When I’m not at work helping our members, you can usually find me doing something that involves family, planning, traveling, writing, or simply enjoying the little things in life.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 My Biggest Blessings

Without a doubt, my twelve grandchildren are some of the greatest blessings in my life. They keep me busy, keep me laughing, and remind me just how special family is. Being a grandmother is one of my favorite roles, and I treasure every opportunity I get to spend time with them.

🏔️ A Little Colorado Adventure

One fun fact that many people at work probably don’t know about me is that, when I was in my early twenties, I lived and worked on Pikes Peak in Colorado for four years!

I absolutely loved my time there. I got to wake up surrounded by some of the most beautiful mountain scenery, spend time hiking, and explore places like Colorado Springs and Denver. Those years gave me so many wonderful memories, and Colorado still holds a special place in my heart.

💌 I’m a Pen Pal!

I am also a pen pal enthusiast! I currently regularly write to about five women, and I absolutely love getting “happy mail” in my mailbox. In a world where so much communication happens through texts and emails, there is something special about sitting down and writing an actual letter—and even more fun about opening the mailbox and finding something other than a bill!

📖 Planner Girl at Heart

I am definitely a planner girl. I use my planner to keep myself organized and on track with all the things I need to accomplish. I even have a budget planner. Now, whether having a budget planner automatically makes me better at budgeting is still up for debate! 😂 But at least I have a plan!

🗽 My Favorite Vacation

One of my favorite trips was my visit to New York City this past April. I loved exploring the city, seeing the famous sights, and experiencing all the energy that makes New York so unique.

And, of course, I had to experience the food! I had some amazing cannoli in Little Italy, and since I had always heard about New York pizza, I absolutely had to try that too. Let’s just say the cannoli did not disappoint!

❤️ Why Retention Is a Good Fit for Me

One of the things I value most about my time with LegalShield is that I genuinely try to do my job the right way and give each member the best help I can.

Sometimes my heartstrings get pulled because I truly want to help every person I talk to. That’s one of the reasons I feel like the Retention Department has been such a good fit for me. I believe we’re here not only to retain members, but also to help them understand the value of what we offer and make sure they feel heard.

I’m constantly learning in this department, and I’m grateful for the training, tools, and knowledge we’re given to help us become better at what we do. Retention isn’t always easy, but I’ve learned that one bad day doesn’t mean it’s always going to be a bad day.

You have to celebrate the small wins, appreciate the big wins, and keep moving forward.

And that’s probably a pretty good description of me, too: keep learning, keep growing, keep helping, and always look for the next adventure!

Planning for September

September, Small Wins & Getting My Ducks in a Row 🦆🍂

Y’all… welcome to September!

Can you believe we are already in the last few months of 2026? I swear this year has been flying by at record speed. One minute I was making my goals for the new year, and now here we are talking about fall, Christmas, and what on earth happened to the other eight months!

I haven’t been blogging nearly as much lately, mostly because I keep thinking, “I don’t really have that much going on.”

But maybe that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

Sometimes life being a little boring means things are settling down. Sometimes it means we’re working quietly behind the scenes. And sometimes the biggest accomplishments aren’t exciting enough to make the evening news—but they’re still worth celebrating.

So today, I’m celebrating a few small wins.

💰 Money Matters: One BIG Payment!

Let’s start with one that makes me want to do a little happy dance.

This month I am making my LAST payment on my Jeep!

Y’all… HOW EXCITING IS THAT?! 🎉

I am so ready to be done with that $550-ish monthly car payment. Having that money freed up for other things is going to feel like getting a raise without actually getting a raise.

And believe me, I’m going to have to be intentional about where that money goes because I don’t want to look up six months from now and wonder where all that extra money disappeared to.

I’ve also made another pretty big decision when it comes to my finances.

I am no longer using my credit cards.

I’ve relied on credit cards for far too long, and I’ve reached the point where I know I have to break that cycle. That means there isn’t going to be a little piece of plastic waiting in my wallet to rescue me when I’ve spent more than I should.

If I’m out of money…

I’m out of money.

Period.

And honestly? That’s probably going to be a HUGE eye-opener.

This is a choice I’m making for the season of life I’m entering. One of my goals is to retire within the next five years or so, and I know I can’t get there while dragging a bunch of unnecessary credit card debt behind me.

So this may not always be easy.

But easy isn’t necessarily the goal.

Freedom is the goal.

I’m also going to start pulling out some cash every two weeks specifically for a vacation I’m planning for next year. I want that trip to be paid for before I go, which means there will be no vacation loan and no “I’ll figure it out later.”

Nope.

Future Karen is going to appreciate Present Karen putting some money aside. 😂

I’m trying to think ahead instead of constantly playing catch-up.

And that, my friends, is progress.

💌 A Little More Intentional With My Secret Sis

Another little thing I’m excited about is my Secret Sis group.

It’s a Christian-oriented Facebook group where we have a Secret Sis and exchange gifts and encouragement. I’ve received both of my gifts from my Secret Sis, and now it’s my turn to get hers sent out.

I’m planning to order her gift today, and I’ve also made a little goal for myself this month:

I want to send her a card of encouragement at least once a week.

I have noticed that it seems like people are pretty good about sending the gifts, but the cards and little notes of encouragement don’t happen quite as often.

And honestly, I think those little notes can mean just as much—maybe even more.

So I’m going to be intentional about it.

A little card.

A few encouraging words.

A reminder that somebody is thinking about you.

Sometimes that’s all someone needs.

And who knows? Maybe I’ll become the Secret Sis who overwhelms her with cards. 😂

🎄 And Yes… We’re Already Thinking About Christmas!

Now before anybody says, “Karen, it’s September! Put the Christmas tree away!”

Hold on. 😂

We are NOT putting up the tree yet.

But Mr. C and I are already planning for Christmas.

With us being on a limited budget, we have to be very mindful about what we’re buying. Between our children, spouses, ex-spouses and grandchildren, we’re buying for around 25 people.

TWENTY-FIVE.

That’s not Christmas shopping.

That’s a small retail operation. 😂

And let’s be honest… the 12 grandbabies are non-negotiable.

Those babies are getting Christmas presents. Period.

I’ve already purchased something for each of the grandchildren, averaging around $50 each. I’ve ordered everything through Amazon, so they’re already sitting in my “Christmas is coming whether I’m ready or not” pile.

Mr. C has three grandchildren he buys for—Lane, Landon and Sophie—and he’s already purchased their toys, also around $50 each.

But because they’re going on a cruise in May, he’s also planning to give them each $50 cash for spending money on the trip.

I actually love that idea.

It’s a Christmas gift AND something they’ll be able to enjoy while making memories.

He’s also planning to give Brody and Savannah $100 each for the cruise so they’ll have some spending money too.

As for the Brody bunch, they’re pretty much handled.

Well… almost.

I always like to get Brody a fun little gift, and I’m not sure what that will be yet, but I’m giving myself a $30-or-under budget.

Because apparently I can’t just give the man money.

I need to find something that makes Brody laugh. 😂

I’ve also gotten started on gifts for Elizabeth, Alisha and Savannah.  I purchased some really cute makeup bag duos that my boss, Sherry, is creating and selling, so each of them has a set.

I’ve also got something in place for Trevor and Melissa.

So when I look at the Christmas situation as a whole, I realize…

I’m actually ahead!

And that feels really good.

Instead of December arriving with me running around like a Christmas elf who has completely lost her mind, I’m trying to spread everything out and buy things intentionally.

That’s really becoming my theme lately:

Be intentional.

Be intentional with my money.

Be intentional with my time.

Be intentional with the things I purchase.

Be intentional with the people I encourage.

And be intentional about the future I want.

Maybe that’s why I haven’t felt like I’ve had much to blog about lately.

I’m not constantly running from one thing to another.

I’m just quietly working on getting my life a little more organized, my finances a little healthier, and my future a little brighter.

And you know what?

Maybe those are some of the best stories to tell.

So here’s to September.

Here’s to small victories.

Here’s to paying off a Jeep.

Here’s to saying goodbye to credit cards.

Here’s to saving cash for future adventures.

Here’s to sending encouragement.

And here’s to being ridiculously early for Christmas shopping. 🎄😂

One small step at a time, y’all. That’s how we’re doing it.