It was when standing in this spot by the ocean that Melina and I decided we NEEDED to live in the Valley, no ifs, ands or buts. This blog has been meant to chronicle our lives as we move towards that goal, so now I feel as though I should look back and think about how far we've come.

The Etsy shop is running smoothly, after much time and work. We are on the verge of our 100th sale through the shop! WOW! If ever there were a milestone to be celebrated it is that one. When we started the blog the shop was all shiny and new, and now we are successfully using it to get where we want to be.

The family has grown with the addition of the latest cats, Banshee and Sherlock. I never thought two more cats could be so much more expensive. Technically, it could be seen as a step backwards in our money-saving journey, but who can look at those little faces and think they are anything but a windfall?

(Note that Solstice boycotts photos with all the boys.)

Our debts are going down and our savings are going up. We clip coupons and troll the flyers and live as cheaply as humanly possible, though we don't stray to the non-vegan side. :) At this rate we are on our way. It will be awhile before we drive to our new house in our new to us car, but we are not giving up!

~ Denise